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January 14, 2025 • 113 mins
Guest host Rod Babers talks about the potential picks for the head coach position of the Dallas Cowboys, as well as the latest going on with the Texas Longhorns following the end of their season. It's all right here on The Craig Way Show!
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Episode Transcript

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Speaker 1 (00:14):
Keiser, Texas legend, a Hall of Fame broadcaster, the voice
of the Texas Longhorns, and your host of the Craigway Show.
Here he is now, Craig Way.

Speaker 2 (00:36):
I wish I was all those things. I am not
all those things.

Speaker 3 (00:40):
I am not the estimable, legendary Craig Way, the voice
of the Lonehorns. The voice is they'd like to call
him on the east side of things. But my man
craig Way is out. So is Cameron. I appreciate those
guys forgiving me the time and the opportunity to guest
host the craig Way Show for you. So I appreciate them,
and I appreciate you guys for joining us as well.

Speaker 2 (01:02):
We got a lot to get into on the show.

Speaker 4 (01:04):
All right.

Speaker 3 (01:04):
We'll talk plenty of Texas for guys know how to
do it. I'm always talking Texas football in the opportunity
I get. So we'll stay behind the burnt orange curtain,
talk about the latest declarations Longhorns who have made their
declaration to go to the NFL Draft for go the
rest of their eligibility on the forty acres Cameron Williams.
Cam Williams being one of the latest to enter the

(01:26):
NFL Draft from the forty acres. We got a lot
of other guys that we'll talk about too, but it
is a long list. So the twenty twenty five roster
for the long Horns will look very, very different than
it looked in twenty twenty four.

Speaker 2 (01:37):
So we'll talk about it. We'll get into it.

Speaker 3 (01:39):
We'll dive deep into some Texas football conversation, but also
we got lots of NFL discussion to get into. We'll
talk about what we learned from the first round of
the NFL playoffs.

Speaker 2 (01:48):
We'll get into it.

Speaker 3 (01:50):
We'll all talk about the Texans, We'll talk about the
Cowboys and they're head coaching vacancy. As a matter of fact,
we'll start there. That's the biggest story probably right now
in sports. Jerry Jones knows how still a headline and
even stole headlines, I think from the NFL playoffs. The
first round was not all that entertaining, But Jerry Jones
and the latest coaching search for Jerry Jones and the

(02:13):
Cowboys is a very entertaining one, all right. All the
names that have come up are it hits coach to
home too. For the Longehorns, all right, because Steve Sarkis's
name has come up a couple of times. I don't
know how much validity there is to it, but Sark's
name has come up. That's a good thing for long
Wun fans. I'll tell you there's some goodness and bad
news to that that Sark's name. And Schefter said that

(02:37):
it's not just for the Cowboys vacancy, that his name
has come up for several vacancies, potentially just because of
his NFL background.

Speaker 2 (02:47):
We'll talk about it.

Speaker 3 (02:47):
I'll tell you why that's a good and a bad
thing for long Horn fans. We'll get into that too. Also,
we'll dive into some Texans conversation. I want to talk
about that. But all of the other NFL playoff games
from this past weekend, we'll get into it and talk
about a little bit. And even though one of course
from Monday night, we'll get into that too. The Rams
look fantastic, the Vikings not so much. But I'm sure

(03:09):
man Craig Wait is excited because he's a Rams fan
and his Rams are advancing in the NFL playoffs.

Speaker 2 (03:15):
So we'll get into it. You can hit me up
via Twitter.

Speaker 3 (03:17):
I'm at Rod Babers in the Twitter verse, Ronald behind
the scenes, twisting and tweaking the dolls, so I appreciate
him as well.

Speaker 2 (03:24):
All right, so let's get into it. Let's get right
to it.

Speaker 3 (03:27):
Let's start with the Dallas Cowboys, because I think that
is the big topic of conversation. We'll get to Longhorn football.
I tell you, I promise you that, you know, we'll
get into it here in just a second. Matter of fact,
this Cowboys, they can see, relates to long horned football,
and we'll be able to just.

Speaker 2 (03:43):
Bridge the gap really easily.

Speaker 3 (03:45):
So Jerry Jones decided to Well, they said it was
a mutual pointing of voice, no boy, which I don't
agree with. That's not I don't believe that. I don't
believe in the mutual breakups. I'm sure they exist, I'm
sure they're accepted sense of the rule. But for the
most part, there are no mutual breakups. Somebody instigated the breakup.

(04:07):
Somebody started, right if breaking up is like indeed, knocking
over a coke machine, somebody had to start, you know,
pushing it over.

Speaker 2 (04:14):
Somebody had just started get the momentum going.

Speaker 3 (04:17):
And I think ultimately Jerry Jones wanted to move on.
I mean he allowed his coach to be a lame
duck coach right for the entire season. I mean that
right there tells you, well, I'm not very interested if
you allow your coach to be a lame duck coach.

Speaker 2 (04:31):
I get it.

Speaker 3 (04:31):
You want to see what his team did this season.
But everything went off the rails with the injury to
Dak and we've obviously went over that at Nassium. So
I don't think Jerry Jones loved Mike McCarthy. I think
he liked Mike McCarthy. They didn't love him, he didn't
love he didn't want to commit to him, and so
I think Jerry Jones was the one who really started
this thing. And the truth is, Mike McCarthy. I think

(04:54):
he's gonna end up getting a head coaching job. A
lot of people say that the Bears. He's got leave
an interview with the Bears tomorrow. He's also been a
hot name for that Saints opening. I think Mike McArthur
will end up getting a head coaching job because Mike
McCarthy's a I mean he's a he's a good coach
and he was a great coach, but he is a

(05:16):
good coach.

Speaker 2 (05:16):
Proved that with the Dallas Cowboys.

Speaker 3 (05:18):
But the Dallas Cowboys, you gotta be a certain kind
of coach too, right, you gotta there's a there's a
they're trying to thread the needle here because Jerry Jones,
you know, he wants a great coach. He wants a great,
elite football coach, but he also wants one that doesn't
want too much control, and one that is willing to

(05:39):
allow Jerry Jones to put out mixed messages to the
media about the team, what's going on with the team,
because it's his team. But he may not necessarily be
on the same page with the head coach because and
a dish jointed, unorthodox chain of command and the and
most ball coaches like really good ball coach. They want,

(06:01):
as Bill Parcells once said, all right, if I'm gonna
cook the meal, you gotta allow me to buy the groceries.

Speaker 2 (06:08):
They want some control behind the scenes.

Speaker 3 (06:10):
And Jerry Jones controls it all right, controls the message
and behind the scenes, he's ultimately making the final decisions.
And you gotta find a coach that's fine with that situation.
And most of the coaches who are fine with that situation,
aren't necessarily great football coaches. The few that Jerry has

(06:30):
hired that have been considered elite football coaches. You're Jimmy Johnson's,
you're Bill part Sells. You're talking about all time great
Hall of Fame coluber guys, and even Mike McCarthy, who
won a Super Bowl. They've decided at one point, no good,
I'm okay, this is this is which is way more
than I bargained for. Even though Jimmy Johnson won Super Bowls,

(06:52):
even though Bill Parcells had success and got them really
really close, and Mike McCarthy had, you know, a minimal.

Speaker 2 (07:01):
Amount of successful with the Cowboys.

Speaker 3 (07:03):
They decided because I think those are the most reputable,
respectable coaches that Jerry Jones has had since he's been there.
And they've all decided this one a mutual parting of ways.
But we know how the Bill par Sales team work out,
all right. We know how Jimmy Johnson and Jerry Jones.

(07:24):
We know those two egos clashed, couldn't work it out.
So the question is when you hire somebody here who
we're gonna get. We're gonna get somebody who and the
rest of the coaches. I'm not knocking them, not saying
that they're bad football coaches, but they're not super Bowl
caliber coaches, right, They're not coaches are gonna win you
a super Bowl? And the other coaches had already they

(07:47):
either proved it with the Cowboys or they had proven
it before they got to the Cowboys, and then ultimately
all ended up being so at odds with Jerry Jones
that either a mutual party of ways, are you know deuces,
I gotta get out of here, I gotta go. I
can't handle it. So that that's the question with this
next tire. Are you gonna get a real ball coach,

(08:09):
somebody who's got.

Speaker 2 (08:11):
Super Bowl potential?

Speaker 3 (08:14):
Are you gonna get somebody who just works well with
Jerry Jones? And Jerry Jones he listen, he knows, he
knows how to win a super Bowl. He knows the
guy that got to hire he does. It just doesn't
always mean it gonna work out.

Speaker 5 (08:26):
Now.

Speaker 3 (08:26):
I the Mike McCarthy think is interesting. I've said before,
and we'll get into this later on the show. You
had reached her five years with Mike McCarthy. I'm a
big five year rule in the league. You guys know
this big five year rule in the NFL. Think the
NFL is built around it, the five year rule that basically,
if you got a coach and you got a quarterback

(08:47):
and they've been together for five years or in ell
More and they haven't shown you that they are capable
of winning the Super Bowl, it's time to move on.
It's probably trying, not either from the quarterback or from
the head coach. It's time to make a signal. And
I know that sounds crazy, but the stat does not lie.

(09:08):
You guys know him big on the NOBS. History don't lie.
The five year rule. No team has ever won his
first Super Bowl by starting the same quarterback for the
same coach for more than five seasons.

Speaker 2 (09:21):
Never, not in the super Bowl era. Never happened. The
NFL has built there.

Speaker 3 (09:28):
They've built the entire structure, infrastructure of the league, the
salary cap, the way the draft is structured, everything is around.
You got a window, and your window is about five years.
I do think Jerry Jones had a sense suburbency about that,
and I think that may have been one of the
big reasons why Yeah, I got because I predicted actually

(09:49):
that Mike McCarthy would stay, and I think that I
thought that he would. There's like, nah, he's not gonna
find anything better. He knows he and Mike McCarthy at
least they work well enough together. Because he knows that
he's ultimately butted heads with great coaches, he decided to
move on. I think the five year rule. He was thinking,
I'm not gonna win a super Bowl with them, now
gonna win the Super Bowl with him? Hey, let's try

(10:11):
to find somebody who will. But the Cowboys, who are
the number one TV star, the number one TV show
in America. They do operate by a different set of rules,
so they're actually a better TV show than they are
a football team, which is why they're the most valuable
sports franchise on the planet, because they know how to
market themselves.

Speaker 2 (10:30):
We'll come back.

Speaker 3 (10:31):
We'll talk about the Cowboys, the coaching potential candidates to
feel that vacancy, Sark being one of them. We'll also
talk about the Texas football team, a high's gonna look
in twenty twenty five with all the departures, all that
and more, coming back on The Craigway Show right here
on AM thirteen hundred. All right, welcome back to the
Craigway Show. I'm lifetime longoe. Rod Babers sitting in for Craigway.

(10:52):
Appreciate Craig Way. Let me sit in for them while
he's on the road. He and my man Cam Parker.
Let's we'll get to the get back to the Cowboys
story in just a second, but let's just kind of
go through some of the departures with the long Horns
that have announced their even going to the NFL. And
you know, obviously some guys are just done with their eligibility,

(11:16):
but some of the guys who are underclassmen, who had
more eligibility more will decide they're going. So those guys included,
but the list continues to grow, and man, it's getting
longer and longer. So now, and I just saw this
Cam Williams, which who I thought may have been one
of the ones the long Horns could have potentially, you know,

(11:39):
tried to keep or maybe he would have decided to
stay to increase his draft stock and improve his draft stock.
He was already being projected as a first round pick
potentially early on the season. I think since a lot
of that talk has cooled, if you will, I think
now his draft stock is probably around him being a
second round pick. But either way, the second round pick,

(12:03):
he doesn't care. Second round pick is good enough. Uh So,
Cam Williams is the latest Longhorn news decided that he's
declaring for the NFL Draft underclassmen but more guys, I mean,
I mean the list is crazier of course, And Jake
Majors and Gunnerhelm, guys who had Vernon Broughton, guys who
had exhausted their eligibility too.

Speaker 2 (12:25):
They were deciding to go.

Speaker 3 (12:26):
But David Bendo, who says that is his time, I
think these guys actually were done with their eligibility.

Speaker 2 (12:34):
But Matthew Golden has decided that he's.

Speaker 3 (12:37):
Going more more blackwell as another player that's leaving Isaiah Bond,
another player that decided that he's headed to the NFL
C your receiving corps, I mean, you're not retaining much
considering you're gonna be losing Isaiah Bond, losing Matthew Golden,
uh from their receiving corps to uh So, uh it's

(12:58):
a man right now. It's a good thing. It's a
brief thing because the Longhorns have a ton of talent
and you know, right now, a lot of that talent
is you know being being.

Speaker 2 (13:09):
Is draft eligible and is draftable talent.

Speaker 3 (13:12):
But it's gonna completely kind of change the entire landscape
of the twenty twenty five roster. I think the positions
that are gonna be hit the hardest, you know, by
the departures. Like I said, it will go over them
kind of, you know, player by player because some of
these happened a couple of days ago. But I think
it's wide receiver and old line now, no doubt. Considering

(13:36):
Jake Major's I mean, Jake Major started more games to
either player in Texas football history.

Speaker 2 (13:41):
He's gone. You're gonna lose Kelvin Banks.

Speaker 3 (13:45):
Are you gonna be the greatest offensive lineman in Texas
football history?

Speaker 2 (13:48):
You can make that case.

Speaker 3 (13:50):
Won multiple national awards and started since he was a
true freshman.

Speaker 2 (13:54):
He's gone. And now Cam Williams very high end talent.
He's gonna be going.

Speaker 3 (13:59):
To You said, you're losing almost your entire offensive line,
Like you're losing basically the entire offensive line. That's a concern,
and you're losing a lot of your receiving corps. Brian
Wingo is gonna be fantastic coming back like that Deandrew
Moore is coming back to you, but you don't return
a ton of proven talent in your.

Speaker 2 (14:22):
Wide receiving corps.

Speaker 3 (14:23):
Starks always done a good job of bringing in wide
receiver talent via the transfer portal, so you'll have that
opportunity to But those two positions definitely hit the hardest,
There's no doubt about it from the latest departures. And
like I said, we'll go over them like in more
detail a little bit later on the show and talk
about each position and each player's projections in the NFL Draft.

(14:47):
But those are just some of the latest I'm sure
there will be more we talked about, you know, Jayden
Blues and other one of those guys that you're gonna miss.
Considering fourteen total touchdowns from Jadan Blue, over a thousand
all purpose yards for Jaden Blue, you know, that's just
a weapon that you're gonna miss on offense and proved
to be your most effective weapon versus Ohio State. And

(15:10):
uh so we'll talk about that too coming up. But
let's get back to the Cowboys and their vacancy and
the names that have been associated with the Cowboys job opening.
It's interesting because the names that you hear, are the
most salacious and the most you know. They're they're interesting,

(15:36):
they're entertaining. I don't know how substantive they are. Dion
Sanders is the top name that you keep hearing, which
makes perfect sense. If the Cowboys are indeed a TV show,
that is the move you make. That's it, like it
really if if that, If the Cowboys are indeed what

(15:57):
we all thought they have always been, which is more
of a TV show than a football team, this Deon
Sander's movie is gonna prove it. I'm not saying it
ain't gonna work. I love de On Sanders. I wore
number twenty one at Texas because.

Speaker 2 (16:09):
Of d On Sands. That's how much I loved him.
I want number two.

Speaker 3 (16:12):
Coach Tim Brewster, who recruited me, he said, oh man,
you won't number twenty one because that's what he is
in the league. I won number two. That's how much
I loved Don. Wanted to be like Don my entire career.
Of course, I mean what Corey didn't, but it be
like prime Time. But that wasn't gonna happen. But Primetime
nobody sold the brand that they personified better than prime Time.

(16:36):
That's what Jerry Jones respected about him, and that's what
he respected about Jerry Jones. The greatest sports marketing mind
and arguably one of the greatest sports promoters in the
history of sports is Jerry Jones.

Speaker 2 (16:48):
Whether y'all like it or not, he's part.

Speaker 3 (16:50):
Of the formula that makes them the number one TV
star on the number one TV show because he's always
a villain. Villains create conflict, Conflict create storylines. The Cowboys
always got a storyline. So here's Adam Schefter when he
was as he was on Undisputed I Believe, and he
was asked about the prospect of Dion Sanders being the

(17:15):
Cowboys next head coach. Here's what Adam Schefter, the Insider.

Speaker 2 (17:18):
Had to say.

Speaker 6 (17:19):
Quoted Dion last night in the second half of the game,
and he said to me that he was not intending
to go to the NFL.

Speaker 4 (17:31):
Not that he will go to the NFL, that's not.

Speaker 6 (17:33):
What he was thinking, but that the love and respect
he has for Jerry Jones is so great that if
Jerry Jones calls him, he's always going to listen.

Speaker 4 (17:45):
And that's what happened.

Speaker 3 (17:47):
Now.

Speaker 6 (17:48):
Dian also has been talking to Colorado and.

Speaker 4 (17:54):
Said that he had it very clear.

Speaker 6 (17:56):
He loves it there, loves it there, and he loves
Jerry Jones, And honestly, that's a great spot to be.
And if you're Deon Sanders, because you're going to have
two winning hands here, that's a question of which one
you want to play, if you can even play both
of them.

Speaker 4 (18:10):
Now. I don't know that we'll get to that bull
with Dallas, it certainly can.

Speaker 6 (18:16):
I think back to a conversation that I had about
I don't know, sixteen seventeen, eighteen months ago, where I
was talking to an NFL general manager.

Speaker 4 (18:25):
He said, I got a prediction, before you mark.

Speaker 6 (18:26):
It down right now, the next head coach in the
Dallas Cowboys is going to be Dion Sanders. And I
was like, really, okay, And I always remember that, and
lo and behold, Jerry checked there with Dion yesterday and.

Speaker 4 (18:42):
They'll continue talking. But I said that Dion last night,
So what's next?

Speaker 6 (18:47):
And he said, I don't know, And I said, you
don't know, I don't know, So I think everything's really
up in the air. Maybe that means talk's intensified. Maybe
he means they don't I don't think he knows right now.
I think it's all in.

Speaker 4 (19:04):
The beginning stages. And by the way, I think that's
probably also true for the Dallas Cowboys.

Speaker 6 (19:10):
Like they think, Okay, well, we like Dion, but we.

Speaker 4 (19:14):
Also like whoever else is, and there may be other people.

Speaker 6 (19:19):
And as you go on in the process, you become
more and more impressed with certain people and less impressed
with others, and you're interested in hiring certain people. Shifts,
and so I don't know where it's gonna go. Eon
Sanders doesn't know where it's gonna go. Jerry doesn't know
where it's gonna go. But it's certainly interesting that he's

(19:40):
interested in beyond that they've spoken, and that there's definitely some.

Speaker 4 (19:44):
Level of interest with Beyond Sanders in return.

Speaker 2 (19:48):
All right, yeah, it's kind of been over the job.

Speaker 3 (19:52):
We don't know this for sure, but it sounds like
Dion has kind of been off the job that Adam
Schefter tweeted out, this is from Dion to hear from
Jerry Jones. It's truly delightful and it's intriguing. I love
Jerry and believe in Jerry. After you hang up and
process it and think about it, it's intriguing, But I
love Boulder and everything there is about our team. The

(20:14):
coach is our student body and the community.

Speaker 2 (20:17):
So we shall see. Jerry loves the drama and it did.

Speaker 3 (20:21):
It is great drama now and it like I said,
it's very compelling that hor would be the most entertaining
hire in sports in some time. Dion in college is
a phenomenon. He's he's a kind of generational phenomenon. You've
never had a Hall of Fame player coach go back
to college and coach Hall of Fame players coach in

(20:42):
the NFL all the time.

Speaker 2 (20:43):
That's where they go.

Speaker 3 (20:44):
They're Hall of Fame players, they got that credibility. They
usually don't go to the go back to the college
leveling coach. So Deane is a superstar in college, get
the best players. Different animal in the NFL. He doesn't
have the same cachet. And I wonder if you know
that matters to Dion, that it's a different dcy. He

(21:06):
knows that, by the way, But that's a tricky The
names Deion Sanders, Jason Witten is another one. Bill Belichick,
Ben Johnson, Sark, John Gruden, Kellen Moore, Lincoln Roley, Doug Peterson,
Pete Carroll, if you've heard any more, throw him out
there to me. All Right, we come back. We'll talk
to Texas football. When we come back, we'll talk about
how that twenty twenty five roster is gonna look be
and all the departures that we've heard about so far.

(21:28):
All that more, right, He'll come back on the Craig
Waite Show right here on the zone. All right, welcome
back to the Craigway Show. Craig Way is on the road.
Because Craig Way is a you know, a busy man.
So Craig Way gave me the opportunity to guest hold
the show. So I really appreciate him giving me the opportunity.
So Craig and Cameron will be back next week. Actually,
I'm getting a chance to host for the rest of
the week, so I appreciate you guys joining us.

Speaker 2 (21:50):
Let's talk some Texas football.

Speaker 3 (21:51):
Let's go get into the go behind the Burnolds curtain
and get into some Texas football discussion.

Speaker 2 (21:56):
All right.

Speaker 3 (21:56):
So it's tough these days because of the OVID years
and all the other years of eligibility to track all
the guys like we used to be, like, oh man,
this guy is a senior and junior and and know
how many years of eligibility guys have left.

Speaker 2 (22:10):
Sometimes it's tough. So I'm just gonna go through all
the guys.

Speaker 3 (22:12):
Who are departing periods ones with eligibility and guys who
have exhausted eligibility, and honestly, now everybody puts out a statement.
It used to be guys put a statement if they
were just declaring early for.

Speaker 2 (22:25):
The NFL Draft and they were underclassmen.

Speaker 3 (22:27):
Now everybody puts out a statement saying I'm going to
the NFL draft.

Speaker 2 (22:30):
It's like, well, how you know you getting drafted? I
don't mean what you mean you go into the NFL draft?
That what I mean?

Speaker 3 (22:37):
Some guys I get it, like oh yeah, you you
gonna get drafted. But now everybody puts out like a
draft logo on the on their announcement, like.

Speaker 2 (22:45):
Oh you get oh you get drafted. So you know,
I'm glad they're confident.

Speaker 3 (22:48):
I'm glad everybody's confident that they getting drafted, and they're
just making their announcement and they always put like a
little twenty twenty five draft a little symbol on the announcement.
I'm like, all right, good for y'all, you know, what
I mean, you gotta you gotta think positive, all right,
But here you go. So Quinn, he was obviously one
of the first, uh that came before the game versus

(23:08):
Ohio State. And we'll talk about Quinn Quinn's legacy all
that kind of stuff. Uh, But Quinn Jayden Blues on
that list. Jaden Blue is really interesting too. And some
people are thinking, oh, man, why did James Blue decide
to leave? You know, he had you know, you know more,
he had another year and maybe he could have come
back and you know, been I don't know, built on

(23:28):
what he had already done, which is over a thousand
all purpose shots at fourteen touchdowns.

Speaker 2 (23:32):
He wasn't gonna do that. And running back is a
weird position.

Speaker 3 (23:35):
It's not a premium position in the NFL, and it
has been devalued and undervalued. For the most part, I
think it is making a comeback with us like say
Courin Barkley playing well at a later age and and
Derrick Henry.

Speaker 2 (23:47):
For the most part, that is the case.

Speaker 3 (23:48):
You don't get a lot of running backs drafted early
INDI NFL draft, and that affects the rest of the
the draft as it relates to that position. So you know,
I get it. This is probably fourteen touchdowns. He ain't
gonna top that at Texas. He's and he's a good player,
but he's not gonna top that at Texas. And once
you believe you hit your ceiling, you know, in college,

(24:11):
it's probably time for you to go, especially at a
position like running back that's not a premium position. Will
he get drafted, There'll be They'll be maybe a quarter
of the league that would salivate over having a guy
like James Blue on their roster, Kansas City Chiefs being
one of the Miami Dolphins being one of them scheme

(24:32):
specific teams, And I think that's what they're banking on.
There we go, we've been We've showcased him on big stages,
scored two touchdowns versus of all House state on the
same you know, wheel route rail concept. You know they believe, hey,
in the right system, this guy can be weaponized. It
Even Stark weaponized him in that way, And I think

(24:53):
that's what they're banking on, with the value of the
running back position being what it is. Vernon Broughton he's
out too, but I believe he's one of those guys
that had exhausted eligibility, Andrew mccooba going to miss mccooba.
The five one and two crew we have not heard
totally because Jday Baron he's gone because he's got no
more eligibility. But in the Thorpe Award winner as the
best dB in college football, we'll talk about that too.

(25:16):
I'm gonna give you my at one point. I don't
know if I'll do it on this show this week,
but at one point I'm gonna have my DBU rankings.
I used to rank all the greatest dbs in DBU history,
all right, including myself at at at Texas. And I
didn't rank myself very high because, trust me, that's how
many great dbs there have been. I think I only
think I cracked the top twenty, and that's how many

(25:37):
great dbs. And I'm gonna get bumped again because now
Jday Baron is all there is a damn good player.
But Andrew mccooba, I didn't think he was gonna be
as physical as he turned out to be. I remember
questioning when I saw him up close to person. I
was like, he's small, He's he's small, He's a little dude.
I was like I see why he played nickel. Dad
Will said he played in every position. The second there, I

(25:58):
was like, yeah, probably more nickel in but his size
and stature does not reflect his style of play.

Speaker 2 (26:05):
That dude is physical. He is a physical player.

Speaker 3 (26:08):
So I expect mccooba kind of leaving on a high note.
That had a really good year. Matthew Golden, matt We'll
get into Matthew Golden because Dale Jeremiah had a tweet
that got Lohun fans really excited and kind of blew
me away too when I heard Dan Jeremiah. When I
saw Dane Jeremia's tweet, we'll get into that. Gavin Holmes

(26:29):
is another guy that that was surprising to me.

Speaker 2 (26:32):
I think Gavin Holmes could have come back.

Speaker 3 (26:33):
And competed for the other starting cornerback spot opposite Maliku Muhammad.
I know, Kobe Black's probably got the you know right now,
he probably has the inside track on that spot because
he's the only other corner we saw you know, a
good amount of during the season in some critical moments

(26:55):
and other than you know, kind of trash time. But
I man, I thought Gavin Holmes played really well. I
thought he was one of your better coverage defends. I
know this because when they went up against Ohio State,
the best wide receiving court they had faced all year.
Remember they when they would match and they would play
basically man on man, and they would want to match

(27:16):
up their best corner, Jday Baron with their best receiver,
Jeremiah Smith, and they did that a couple of times.
In the NASCAR package, they put Gavin Holmes out there
and he was matched up on the number three receiver,
not Jaalen Gilbo. So they believed that he was their
their third best coverage option. And I'm surprised that he's leaving.

(27:37):
Maybe on NFL scouts have told him or he's got
some responsive feedback that hey man, they've seen you on film.

Speaker 2 (27:44):
They like the film. I like the film. God can
cover like he really did.

Speaker 3 (27:49):
He improved a lot as a a coverage specialist.

Speaker 2 (27:53):
If you were this year.

Speaker 3 (27:55):
Kevin Banks, of course, I mean we've talked about him,
greatest offensive lineman in Texas football. Here you can make
the case me, uh enough said guy's gonna be a
top ten pick.

Speaker 6 (28:05):
Uh.

Speaker 2 (28:06):
Hayden Connor.

Speaker 3 (28:07):
I was surprised. I didn't know if he had more
or not. So the Hayden Connor is a guy who
declared as well. We talked about Jave Blueton, Matthew Golden,
another guy, Isaiah Bond, we talked about him earlier. Isaiah
Bond has also declared, and that's surprising because his draft
stock dropped. He was projected as a first rounder before

(28:27):
the season started. He has world class be A lot
of people believe he's gonna run low four threes, maybe
even high four two's and that text. Man it Initially
he looked like he was gonna be your leading receiver.
He was gonna be your top dog in that receiving room.
He gets hurt and then the landscape changes.

Speaker 2 (28:48):
Everything changes.

Speaker 3 (28:49):
Matthew Golden steps up in that room, and Isaiah Bond's
never the same, Like we don't even see him really. Uh.
There are stretches throughout the season where they said he
was healthy and still there was no impact to me
on the game, including in the Ohio State game.

Speaker 2 (29:04):
Moe Blackwell is also done. I believe he exhausted.

Speaker 3 (29:08):
Elgibilly gunner Helm, who's guy's Gunnerhelm's got a case to
have one of the greatest, if not the greatest, kind
of tight end season. In Texas football history. It's in
the conversation. We can talk about that later on this week,
but just get your mind right. Cam Williams, another guy
declared for the NFL draft, did not have a great
game versus House State. A lot of people thought he

(29:29):
was hurt. Gave up two sacks. I believe five pressures
in that game as well. And and then Delton Gardner
is also deciding that he's going. He's declared for the draft.
I believe he was exhausted his eligibility. But still, like
I said, everybody throws out the draft on their announcement,
whether they're getting drafted or that it doesn't matter. All right,
we go back. We'll get into more more long horned

(29:50):
football discussion. We'll talk about what the twenty twenty five
roster is gonna look like, and talk about some of
the departures. And that tweet from Darren Dale Jeremiah Bout
Matthew Golden says a lot about what his draft stock
and what he achieved in the last couple of games
for the Longhorns. All that more right here on the
Craigway Show, right here on the zone. All right, welcome
back to.

Speaker 2 (30:09):
The to the Craigway Show.

Speaker 3 (30:12):
I am a lifetime Longhorn Rod Babers sitting in for
Craig Way who is on the road, so I appreciate
craig Way led me a guest host the show for
a couple of shows this week. Let's get back to
the Longhorn football conversation. I just kind of went through
the list of guys who are you know, either declaring
for the NFL Draft or guys whose eligibility has been

(30:33):
exhausted so they're heading to the NFL. How many of
these guys are actually gonna get drafted, like in my opinion,
and I do think you're in double digits. Again, remember
last year you had eleven players drafted. Kevin Banks no brainer,
gonna be top ten, Cam Williams leaving, He's gonna be
drafted in the first forty kicks, maybe a first round

(30:58):
or maybe not today Bear and I think should be
a first rounder. But I think he's got to be
in your top three cornerbacks. Usually there are at least
three cornerbacks drafted in the first round. Just because you
win a thorpe does not mean you're gonna be drafted
in the first round. They're plenty of Award winners drafted outside
the first round. But man depends on how he tests
and how he runs if he's a first round or not.

(31:21):
But those guys are gonna be drafted in your top
you know, forty five picks or so in the NFL draft.
Matthew Golden. Now, this is the thing on Matthew Golden.
Listening to this, Daniel Jeremiah tweet told you, guys, I
was good. This is I love Matthew Golden.

Speaker 2 (31:37):
I think he's great.

Speaker 3 (31:38):
I did not expect to hear this from Darryl Jeremiah.
He said this is He tweeted this three hours ago,
and he's a draft analyst for NFL network. He said,
just finished studying Texas wide receiver Matthew Golden. He could
easily be the top wide receiver in this draft class. YEP,

(31:58):
that's what I said too. That is if that is
the case, that is mind blowing. It really is. There's
nobody then in college football that increase their draft stock
more than Matthew Golden. There are no draft projections, mock drafts.
I'm a mock slut. I look at anybody's mock draft.

(32:19):
There's no mid draft anywhere, and no projection prior to
the season. During the season, even within the last six
weeks that had Matthew gold And as the top receiver
in the draft lacks. Most people had him as a
mid round pick, maybe at wide receiver and wide receiver
by the way, I've always said, it's a deepest position
in football, guys, deepest position in football at any level.

(32:42):
Go look at a high school football game in Texas.
They all got good wide receivers.

Speaker 2 (32:47):
Like Man's.

Speaker 3 (32:47):
Actually, receivers look pretty good. Everybody's got good wide receivers.
It's a proliferation of the spread offense. Everybody's got good
wide receivers. Why the sexst get a good wide receiver
and transfer pool every year because there are tons of them.

Speaker 2 (32:58):
They're everywhere, all right.

Speaker 3 (33:00):
They always has the deepest position in the draft every
year in the draft, Lise. They gonna say it again,
It's just that's that's the nature of the beast right now,
wide receiver and Man, I haven't looked at this crop
of ode receivers this year, but I can tell you
right now that if Matthew Golden is anywhere close to
being the top receiver in his draft last nobody's increased

(33:21):
their draft stock more nobody. That is phenomenal. He does
have great body control. He's a better deep threat than
I thought. He runs precision routes. He's better in contested
catches than I thought. Trustworthy hands, he's got a little
bit more speed in terms of his separation, able to
stack defenders. Uh it really, he just keeps surprising me.

(33:44):
He kept surprising me. I kept thinking, ah, he may
he maybe have hit his ceiling. And every time I
thought he hit his ceiling as a player, he would
smash right through it. I'd be like, yeah, but I
don't know if he's a deep threat boom, he'd be
deep threat it.

Speaker 2 (33:56):
So, yeah, I don't know if he can make contested
catches his size. He may contest thet.

Speaker 3 (33:59):
It's like, oh, I don't know if he can go
up and uh, you know, make catches where he's gotta
you know, show off his vertical leap and he's gotta
go up over top of the fenders. And late in
the season started doing that too. There there there wasn't
anything as a scout that you would cover it from
a robbery receiver that he's not display in throughout the season.

(34:22):
It so it was a master class I know why
he's leaving. He's not gonna do better than that. They
used him inside, they used him outside. He's in the
red zone, deep threat on third down, you know, precision routes,
contested catches, yack. Whatever you need to see, he showed you.
Uh So, if you go this, go get drafted pre

(34:43):
damn high, not just mid rounds. You're talking about second round.
He may be a top fifty guy. When you when
it's all sitting done, just kind of looking at it. Okay,
uh so that's another guy that's gonna be drafted.

Speaker 2 (34:54):
Then you got Quinn.

Speaker 3 (34:55):
Yours, of course, will be drafted. We'll talk about Quinn.
I know that's much l your conversation. Alfred Collins. Who's
gonna be a second round pick? I remember seeing several
draft scouts, at least draft analysts I should say, saying
that he's got a second round grade on a lot
of people's boards. Gunn or Hell is gonna be one

(35:16):
of the top tight ends. I say mid round pick
just because Titan is not a it's not a premium position.

Speaker 2 (35:21):
Andrew mccooba.

Speaker 3 (35:23):
I think mccoob was a guy that gets drafted fourth
anywhere from a fourth to sixth round somewhere around there.

Speaker 2 (35:29):
Baron Serell. I like Baron Surrell's game.

Speaker 3 (35:33):
He's not in the an elite pass rusher necessarily, but
that's that's a guy that's gonna be in on an
NFL roster for five, six, seven years.

Speaker 2 (35:41):
I mean that he's the NFL.

Speaker 3 (35:44):
To me, he's got an NFL body, and I think
he's got an NFL skill set.

Speaker 2 (35:48):
So not sure exactly won't be drafted.

Speaker 3 (35:50):
It don't open on how he tests and then how
deep The edge position is. Ed is a coveted premium
position but mostly for past rushing edges, and that's not
Philly Barns real. But he is very, very consistent. You
got Jake Majors. I don't know why center is not
our premium position. It's not, but Jake Majors. I think
he's gonna make an NFL roster. Not sure it could

(36:11):
be a late round pick. Vern Broughton to another guy.
I'm not sure about Hayden Connor. I'm not sure about
Kyden Connor being drafted, so been looking at it. So
that's Kevin Banks, Cam Williams today, Baron, Isaiah Bond, Matthew
Golden Quinn yours, Alfred Collins, Gunnehelm Macooba Surrell, Jake Majors
makes eleven, Vernon brodon As twelve. If those and I'm like,

(36:33):
I almost feel certain that those twelve will get drafted.

Speaker 2 (36:37):
That's that's all I mean to say that.

Speaker 3 (36:40):
It's pretty bold because having double digit players drafted is
a really big accomplishment. But I feel like Texas could
do that. Hey, eleven last year, I think you would
have twelve this year. That'll give you twenty three players
drafted in a two year span. Mac Brown never came
closer that Texas had twenty two players drafted.

Speaker 2 (36:58):
I believe from twenty sixteen to twenty twenty five, three.

Speaker 3 (37:01):
Man the record for most players drafted, and the two
year Spanish Georgia with twenty five. You know, if Texas
gets a couple of guys else, a couple other guys
on that list Salas Bolden, Bill Norton, the Gavin Holmes
or Hayden Connor, they could end up, you know, tray More,
if you declarers, they could end up in that conversation.
That's quite an accomplishment for Zark. I think you're gonna

(37:22):
get twelve players drafted. Well, I would say between ten
to twelve. I should say that not to get too
cocky for Texas, but talk about first world problems. Now,
your issue is you have so many players leaving, you
have no idea how your roster's really gonna look in
twenty twenty five, and you went from not being able
to develop players to draftable to have draftable grades. Now

(37:44):
you're developing a double digit draftable players potentially in the
upcoming draft. So it's good news and bad news. First
world problems for Texas. The Cowboys got, they got third
world problems. We'll come back and talk about the Cowboys
and even Sark being one of the candidates and options
for the Cowboys coaching vacancy, all that more and what
we learned from the playoff games this past weekend. Right here,

(38:06):
coming back on the Craig Waite Show, right here on
AM thirteen hundred. Welcome back to the Craig Way Show.
No Craig Way today. I'm like talking O horn Rod Bavers.
Sometimes I wish I was Craigway, but trust me, I
don't have the intellect, the intellect or the talent that
Craig wait does. But Craig Way will be back next week.

(38:26):
So will Cam Parker. Just sitting in for those guys,
and I appreciate them giving me the opportunity to sit
in here and guest tolls the Craig Wait Show.

Speaker 2 (38:33):
Today, we'll talk about.

Speaker 3 (38:34):
The NFL Playoffs and what we saw in the first
week of the NFL Playoffs, even when we saw last
night the Old Testament, old Biblical style, but whipping that
the rams Craig Waite rams, by the way, I'm sure
man Craig Wait was excited about that that they put
on the Minnesota Vikings.

Speaker 2 (38:50):
And yes, the Sam Donald the Yeah, it seems.

Speaker 3 (38:54):
Like that fairy tale story maybe coming to an endy.

Speaker 2 (38:58):
Yeah, I know a lot of people were excited about it.

Speaker 3 (38:59):
And what I liked about the Sam Donald story and
the same thing I like about you know, still like
I like about Jered gob story, even Matthew Stafford's story.
You're seeing more and more quarterbacks in the NFL that
have shown that you can take the road less traveled
to still get to being a franchise quarterback or to

(39:21):
you know, reinventing yourself or you know, resuscitating your skill
set as a player. Now you know, Kevin O'Connor might
be considered kind of a made man because you know,
Kirk Cousins played one of his best seasons under Kevin O'Connell,
the Vikings head coach, and then you get Sam Donald
and you're able to win fourteen games with basically Sam
Donald as your story and the quarterback, and you know,

(39:43):
then you're gonna see what he does with JJ McCarthy.
But I mean, once you once you prove to the
NFL that you can basically you can resuscitate the skill
set of a quarterback, that you can reinvent a quarterback,
you're man and basically you become a maid man. And
that's he's getting kind of some made man status among

(40:04):
NFL coaches.

Speaker 2 (40:05):
We'll get into it.

Speaker 3 (40:06):
We'll talk about that kind of what we learned in
the Playofkay what we know about Sean Advance and Shawnavazion
hell of a coach. Shamavas a great coach. He does man,
he took advantage of and was kind of one of
the kind of the main facilitators of, you know, switching
franchise quarterbacks, right, and it got to a Super Bowl

(40:26):
with Jared Goff. Most franchises they get to a Super
Bowl with a quarterback, they decide, no, this is gonna
be my guy.

Speaker 2 (40:32):
Not shown me.

Speaker 3 (40:32):
Gunn got to the Super Bowl with a franchise quarterback, decided.

Speaker 2 (40:36):
Yeah, he's not good enough.

Speaker 3 (40:39):
Ironically decided he wasn't good enough for the Rams, traded
him to the Lions. Lions thought, oh man, we'll bring
in Jared Goff. Jared GoF will be our stop gap
bridge quarterback that we figure out what we're gonna do.
And turns out, you know that one night stand that
ended up becoming the love of your life.

Speaker 2 (41:00):
That's that's Jared govin nything.

Speaker 3 (41:02):
He was gonna be that a happy accident, and you
know what that's You know that happens at quarterback, right
because quarterback is the toughest position to project, project and
to develop. So you get happy accidents at times because
you gotta keep rolling the dice on quarterback.

Speaker 2 (41:16):
Got to and Jared Goff.

Speaker 3 (41:18):
Some people thought, oh man, he's limited, but not in
the detrent Lions offense. That's why to me, it's all
about compatibility. I've always said choosing a quarterback is like
choosing a significant other. The woman or man you marry
is not always the hottest woman or man you ever dated.
They were the one that was most compatible with you,
the one that was.

Speaker 2 (41:36):
Right for you.

Speaker 3 (41:38):
And when you find a one that's right for you,
then all the pieces fit. Same thing about quarterback, it's
all about finding the right one. Jared Goff didn't fit.
We're finding more of those stories, right, And I've said
that for years. You guys have heard me saying it
for like a decade now, but then you're starting to
see it. Baker Mayfield it's one of those stories. Jared
GoF is one of those stories. Matt Stafford's one of

(41:59):
those stories. Fit right into Sean e Vay's system. Oh
clicked super Bowl right, and you know some people were
just you got the goat. That's the goat, and that's
Tom Brady. So Tom Brady he was able to, you know,
go to another team and win it and win another
franchise his first year because he's the goat. But even
with you know, Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid, I mean
that was just say the compatibility of that QB skill

(42:22):
set with the acumen and the you know, the football
intellect of Andy Reid, it's like putting together. Uh, It's
like when you know Michael Jackson and Quincy Jones got
together like it's you know what I mean, Like it's like.

Speaker 2 (42:38):
One of those it's like.

Speaker 3 (42:40):
Doctor Dre and Eminem you know when they got together.

Speaker 2 (42:43):
It's like, Oh, that's it.

Speaker 3 (42:44):
Oh that's Once you mix those two elements, you're gonna
get greatness.

Speaker 2 (42:51):
And that's what you're trying to find.

Speaker 3 (42:52):
That's your job as a gem You're you're you're a matchmaker,
and you're trying to find that perfect coach with the
perfect to back coach. Back back to my five year rule.
Right the five year old started the show talking about
the five year rule. And this is you know, this
is what the Cowboys, this is why I think Jerry
Jones made the move that he made. You know, you
haven't seen a head coach and a quarterback combination, all right,

(43:17):
just took at the head coach in the QB because
those are your two most important elements.

Speaker 4 (43:21):
Argument.

Speaker 3 (43:21):
But you're talking about winning a Super Bowl head coach
and quarterback. In the history of the Super Bowl Super bowler,
are we talking about? No team has ever won his
first Super Bowl by starting the same quarterback for the
same head coach for more than five seasons.

Speaker 2 (43:35):
Outside of that, it's actually two five year rules.

Speaker 3 (43:38):
The other five year rule is I think once you
get a head coach, period, if he can't win, if
he can't show you in his first five years that
he's a super Bowl caliber coach, does a good history
does suggest you need to move on.

Speaker 2 (43:54):
Because the NFL is.

Speaker 3 (43:55):
The windows that they that the NFL actually the infrastructure
with the salary cap and the Ricky Way scale and
the way the draft is set up, it's all kind
of set up for five windows.

Speaker 2 (44:05):
The NFL doesn't want.

Speaker 3 (44:07):
A lot of dynasties and it's not meant for dynasty,
which is why we've never seen anybody win three in
a row. We're about to see that potentially for the
first time with Kansas City.

Speaker 2 (44:15):
Because the NFL is not built for that right.

Speaker 3 (44:17):
It's actually built to sell hope and change if you will,
because it wants his fan bases to even the one
who are at the lower end of the NFL hierarchy,
it wants them to always have hope. That's why you'll
get your first you'll get your top draft pick, all right.

Speaker 2 (44:35):
It will help you out.

Speaker 3 (44:37):
And that's why the NFL essentially their their CBA, which
is essentially their tax code. They incentivize you to draft
quarterbacks bring in a new quarterback. That's why the young
quarterbacks are cheaper now. They're cheaper bringing a new one.
If you don't like your quarterback, move on, ship them
off somewhere else and go find another one. Go draft

(44:58):
another one, which is why we're seeing now the road
less traveled from some quarterbacks who can go elsewhere and
reinvent themselves.

Speaker 2 (45:04):
And I love those stories.

Speaker 3 (45:05):
Those are cool stories that you're seeing now in the
NFL playoffs at the highest levels.

Speaker 2 (45:10):
Those are really cool stories. But anyway, get back to
my five year ruld.

Speaker 3 (45:15):
Of the third was the thirty five coaches who have
won a Super Bowl. I believe thirty five FEN coaches.
Thirty of them did it within the first five years.
Five years, Mike lacrd they got five years, five years.
I know it sounds like you can't do it in
five years, you weren't gonna do it. That's the way
the NFL. You won't if you ain't doing in five years.
Now if you if you can do it outside of

(45:36):
five years, the guys that have done it outside of
five years, they're like elite all time.

Speaker 2 (45:41):
Great exceptions Chuck no.

Speaker 3 (45:44):
Andy Reid, Tom Landry, John Madden, and Bill Kawer. Those
are the ones. The rest of it. Five years those
their exceptions every rule. Those are your exceptions. Do you
have that? You got that?

Speaker 2 (46:02):
Okay, roll with it. Now. You know who's banking that
they have that. The Bills with Sean McDermott.

Speaker 3 (46:11):
And the Ravens with John Harba and Lamari Jackson, they
might be able to shatter the five year rule.

Speaker 2 (46:21):
They might be able to do it. It's Josh Allen.

Speaker 3 (46:24):
You got an elite quarterback, got Lamar Jackson, elite quarterback.
You got John Harball, I think is one of the
best head coaches in football already's got a Super Bowl
under his.

Speaker 2 (46:35):
Resume, but he and Lamara Jackson don't have one.

Speaker 3 (46:40):
And like I said, the history was just for the
five year rule that if Lamar Jackson was gonna do it,
he's already won two MVPs, he'd have done it already.
And you can make your argument, Ah, that's because Patrick Mahomes. Yeah,
every generation's got one, Tom Brady before that, Joe Mantowna
before that. You got to vanquish. You're gonna have to
vanquish that, you know what I mean? You know that

(47:02):
big dog on the mountain, right, if you want to
beat the man, you gotta beat the man.

Speaker 2 (47:05):
That's what CJ.

Speaker 3 (47:06):
Stroud's open to do, Josh Allen's hoping to do, and
Lamar Jackson take down Patrick Mahomes and it ain't gonna
be easy. I think we all know how this story ends.

Speaker 2 (47:17):
Truth be told. I'm a Texans fan, I am rooting
for that.

Speaker 3 (47:20):
I'm gonna break down how the Texans can upset the
Kansas City Chiefs.

Speaker 2 (47:24):
I'm gonna do it, all right. I predicted.

Speaker 3 (47:26):
Actually, remember when, oh Man, remember when the Texans were
up like the three touchdowns on the Kansas City Chiefs
on the road.

Speaker 2 (47:35):
Bill O'Brien's gonna last stand.

Speaker 3 (47:36):
Remember that I predicted that game that they would beat
the Chiefs, And I was dancing on the tabletops when
they were up by like three touchdowns.

Speaker 2 (47:46):
They gonna beat them.

Speaker 3 (47:47):
But that's before I learned that Patrick Mahomes is the
most clutch quarterback arguably in the history of the NFL,
and that no quarterback in the history of the NFL,
no quarterback is better, especially in the playoffs, which they
were when they're down double digits. He's got the best
winning percentage of the league down double digits, and that's
exactly it. They came back and went they actually were

(48:10):
leading before halftime. I'm not mistaken heartbreak they gave the
face they get to face them again. I'm gonna break
down how the Texans can beat the Chiefs.

Speaker 2 (48:18):
Do I believe it?

Speaker 6 (48:19):
No?

Speaker 3 (48:20):
I don't believe it no, And I feel like we
know how the story is gonna end. Even though Laura
Jackson's probably having an MVP year, he might win his
third MVP.

Speaker 2 (48:31):
That's crazy, that's insane, and.

Speaker 3 (48:36):
His legacy is gonna be that he petitionerly just couldn't
beat Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs. Everybody in the Michael
Jordan era in the NBA had to deal with. So
I'm not it's hard to pick again Patrick.

Speaker 2 (48:50):
Mahomes and the Chiefs. Hard to do that period.

Speaker 3 (48:53):
Uh you're talking about We'll get into that, we'll talk about.
I think the lesson learned though, is that both the
Ravens and the Bills are gonna be trying to shatter
that five year old.

Speaker 2 (49:04):
And history would suggest.

Speaker 3 (49:05):
That neither one of them will do it and can't
see Chiefs are probably gonna make me right in that regard. Okay,
we'll talk about what we learned from the playoff games,
and we'll get into the win last night. Obviously, we'll
talk about the ones from over the weekend. I will
also get into the departures on the four they cored.
Talk from Texas football. Yeah, I'll give you my thoughts

(49:27):
about Texas losing to a house state. I'll talking about
Sark a little bit too. We'll Stark be the next
head coach of Dallas Cowboys. That is actually a conversation
that is being had and we will have it as well.
Coming back right here on the Craigway Show, right here
on AM thirteen hundred the Zone. All right, welcome back
to the Craigway Show. Craigway is out for today's actually

(49:49):
on the road. You know, Craigway's a man of many
talents and many obligations as well. So he's doing all right,
him and Camp Parker on the road calling some games.
But he just gade me the opportunity to step in,
and I was more than willing. So I appreciate craig
Way and Cam Barker for giving me the chance. Let's
talk about what we learned in the game last night,
and then we'll get to talking about the Cowboys coaching

(50:12):
vacancy and Steve Serkeshan potentially being one of the candidates,
not for that job, but not just for that job,
I should say, but for other jobs as well. Okay,
last night, Vikings lose to the Rams twenty seven to nine.
All of the most of the except for that Commanders
and Bucks game, most of the first round of the

(50:32):
playoffs have been pretty lopsided wins, and another one with
the Rams putting an old Testaments out butt whipping on
the Vikings. They sacked Sam Darnold nine times. It was
a record, actually tied a record. Basically, it was tied
with the Titans. Did it to the Bengals in twenty

(50:55):
twenty two in a divisional round. They got nine sacks.

Speaker 2 (50:59):
The cheat.

Speaker 3 (51:01):
I think I kind of remember this actually as trauma
as a child. The chief did it to the Oilers
at the Oilers Lovely Blue. I'm a lovely blue guy
from Hetown ninety four in division round.

Speaker 2 (51:11):
Oh man, that Joe Montana. That Joe Montana and Marcus Allen.
I believe that may be it if I'm off.

Speaker 3 (51:20):
Let me know, guys, I was a youngster there, But
I believe that is the occasion that's said the eighty
five Bears did it. Sorry, these forty nine ers did
it actually versus the Bears, I should say that happened
in eighty five, eighty seven Browns did versus the Jets
and division round point being doesn't happen a lot. And
Sam Donald's I believe that, you know Sam Donald's contract.

(51:44):
I believe his value probably dropped in that game. Taking
that mini sacks. It was the third worse if you're
gonna look at it, had the third worst total sack
EPA by any quarterback in any game played since two thousand.

Speaker 2 (51:58):
Just a lack of a Way awareness overall quarterbacks.

Speaker 3 (52:02):
Stat quarterback sacks are now, at least by analytical terms,
now they are uh, sometimes attributed to the quarterback long run.
Fans know this, love Quinn, but Quinn at times can
know them to be a self sacker, all right, just
kind of running instead of you know, finding space in
the pockets. Uh, they kind of run into defenders in

(52:23):
the pockets. Just having that lack of awareness. That was
definitely the case for Sam Darnold. So the Rams are
moving on. I'm sure correct Way is happy about that
one thing I would say about the Rams because first
of all, Matt Stafford, they got themselves a you know,
franchise quarterback, an elite quarterback.

Speaker 2 (52:37):
That helps.

Speaker 3 (52:38):
But they got any league coach too. That's why the
Rams are indeed dangerous. Uh, Kaseem McVay can coach man.
And one thing that makes Sean McVay unique. Nobody in
the NFL's had more coaching turnover than shun They nobody,
and I wouldn't look at historically and would have looked at,
you know, how many you know, great first of all,

(52:59):
not a lot of coach to stick around that long anyway,
because he's been around since twenty seventeen, and how many
coaches who won Super Bowls having as much turnover as
he had remembering those first you know a few years
when he was considered the golden child, the only one,
the only staff I found like literally historically in the
Super Bowl era that compares is to Bill Walsh staff

(53:22):
from seventy nine to eighty four, and how much attrition
he had on there from all those great coaches that
he was hiring. But that's what made Sean McVay unique,
that they can reinvent that reinvent that organization or at
least reinvent the football product, which he has done multiple times.
And man, as long as they got him, and you know,

(53:45):
and it seems like the GM, unless they have done
a great job too, they have been able to at
least compete and put out a playoff caliber product, you know,
year after year, not every year he's been there. I
think he had one year where he's falling off, but
under that Matchelle McVey always coaching his tail off. Speaking

(54:07):
of the Cowboys are looking to find themselves to Selman
guy all right, and Cheane Vay was considered one of
those prodigies coming up held. The Texans had a couple
of prodigies on their staff at one point, hopefully I
like Demiko Ryans.

Speaker 2 (54:20):
By the way, we'll get to some Texans talk too.

Speaker 3 (54:22):
But if you are the Cowboys right now, I mean
that that's ultimately Ultimately the goal to hire a a
what you would like is to be hire a young,
up and coming, fast rising star who's got super Bowl
caliber coach written all over them. You know, it doesn't
always look that way, so it's hard to determine, Hey,

(54:44):
is this guy gonna be it? Or is you know,
it's just a flash in.

Speaker 2 (54:48):
The pan and it may look different. Dan Campbell looked
very different.

Speaker 3 (54:51):
Way I thought Dan Campbell would put the Detroit Lions
in a position to be a super Bowl contender. Right,
people laughed and mocked. Dan Campbell were talking about eating
you know, knee right. He was talking, He really was.
He was talking about doing some crazy stuff. He was
very He's more of a motivator than anything. But it's
the it's the right kind of crazy for Detroit. So

(55:13):
you got to find about compatibility. So we'll see if
that's what the Cowboys are talking about. But one of
the things that called Longhorn's eyes long Horn fansis was
that Adam Schefter, who's the ultimate insider for the NFL,
when he was talking about potential candidates that the Cowboys
could be interested in. And I've heard him even mention,

(55:34):
you know, Sark's name when he's talking about other openings
as well. But for the Cowboys, it is a name
that has come up here, is Adam Schefter on the
Pat McAfee show, when they asked him about you know,
whether this is about jobs period, about Sark and Stark
being a name that has been mentioned for multiple job

(55:56):
openings because of his NFL connections and the NFL background.

Speaker 5 (56:00):
But I have heard that Mark Streaman is happy nor Dame.
He did sign that deal recently. I don't know whether
that's leverage or not.

Speaker 7 (56:06):
I have no idea. I don't have direct information beyond that.

Speaker 5 (56:11):
Steve Sarkisian is a name that has scrolled the round
out there in NFL circles for weeks now. His season's over,
there were a team, if there were a team that
wanted to talk to him, they obviously to go do that,
and we'll see whether or not he has interest in
going back to the NFL. But that's a name that's
been out there for a little while that there will

(56:33):
be NFL teams that would have some interest. So we'll
see if that actually now happens.

Speaker 3 (56:39):
He has been out there for a while, and he's
been talking about it for a while. He's been talking
about it for a few weeks now. He's been talking,
he's been mentioning Sark's name, and even before the Cowboys
job came open, and some people have brought U about
the Cowboys job.

Speaker 2 (56:52):
I will say, when I looked at.

Speaker 3 (56:55):
At the odds, the latest odds, so who's going to
be the Cowboys next head coach. Sark wasn't even like, yeah,
he's these far down the list. He's not even really,
he's really far down the list. Kellen Moore, Deon san Er,
Cliff Kingsbury, Joe Brady, Ben Johnson, Belichick, Lane Kiffin. But
for long advance, I don't think you have anything to

(57:17):
worry about right now. I think Sark wants to win
a national tale led Texas. I think he wants to
coach a Manning. I don't think he wants that relationship,
all right, the first family of football that's.

Speaker 2 (57:30):
Important it is.

Speaker 3 (57:32):
I think he believes that Arch Manning can be a
championship caliber quarterback that can help him accomplish that goal.
So I think you got at least until he's done
with Arch, and I think Arch is going to be
here two years, which is what has been reported. I
don't think he's going anywhere for two years. I don't
think he's going anywhere. I understand until he wins a

(57:53):
national title. I think he believes, and I do too,
considering you've been, you know, in the final fourth last
two years, and you know a couple of red zone
positions away from competing, you know, in a National championship game,
you're pretty close. And I think the belief is that
arch Manning will elevate the quarterback position, which will elevate

(58:15):
the team. And I think wants to check that offices.
I think he wants to be Pete Carroll. I think
he wants to win. I think he wants to be
known as a ball coach. There's a whole nother category
as a ball coach. There are all time great college coaches,
all time great NFL coaches, but the ball coaches, the
Pete Carroll's and the Jim Harper, you know, kind of

(58:36):
Jim Hardwalls kind of got that reputation even though he
hasn't won a Super Bowl, but been to a Super
Bowl as a coach in the NFL. Guys who just
can coach ball, doesn't matter what the level is.

Speaker 2 (58:45):
I coach ball. Some of y'all need to recruit, because
that's y'all's thing.

Speaker 3 (58:50):
Some of y'all need the NFL because you can't recruit
at the college level because you don't have the communication skills.
Are the people's skills to be able to do it,
you know, I mean, they put me anywhere I can
go coach ball. That that's a whole nuh like you
not not even Nick Saban couldn't say he did that.
Nick Saban can't say he did that. You know what
I mean, you're able to have an extreme a lot.

Speaker 2 (59:12):
Of success at both.

Speaker 3 (59:13):
I think Sark wants to be one of his coaches
who's won a national title and also couldn't one, you know,
win the Super Bowl too. That would be his goal
if he goes to the league. I do believe he
has NFL aspirations.

Speaker 2 (59:24):
I do.

Speaker 3 (59:25):
It's the guy that you know, at one point was
on the track as a prodigy before things got derailed,
and that was a path that was taking him to
the NFL.

Speaker 2 (59:34):
I think he has had those dreams for a while.

Speaker 3 (59:39):
So I'm not saying that he's gonna lead him away
from Texas. But you know, I just think he when
it presents himself at the right time, I think Sark
would be interested, but not until he wins the national
title in Texas.

Speaker 2 (59:53):
So that's your good news.

Speaker 3 (59:54):
Yeah, I think he's gonna win it here first and
then he'll then you'll have to worry about that. But
those our first world problems, as Sark says, laughing from
a crying from a yacht. This is a phrase, crying
from a yacht, which is what long Win fans are
doing these days. A beautiful thing. All right, well, we'll
talk some more Texas football. We'll talk about what we
learned from some of the other playoff games over the weekend.

(01:00:15):
All of that and more coming back right here on
The craig Way Show on A thirteen hundred.

Speaker 2 (01:00:21):
All right, welcome back to The Craigway's Show.

Speaker 3 (01:00:26):
Craig Way is out lifetime on horn Rod babysitting in
for Craig Waite, So I appreciate you.

Speaker 2 (01:00:31):
Guys joining us today. I want to get back to.

Speaker 3 (01:00:34):
Some of the playoff games and what we learned, and
we're going to be addressing that throughout the rest of
the show, and then we'll bounce back and forth texts
football and get back to the Cowboys and they're head
head coaching vacancy. In fact, we'll talk about that here
just a couple of seconds. But let's talk about what
we learned from the Bucks and the Commander's playoff game,

(01:00:54):
which you know was the only one that actually came
down to the wire, and once again Jade and Daniels
was the difference the Commanders won twenty three to twenty.
This is what some are calling and we just witnessed.
I think what a lot of people said was the
greatest rookie season ever for a quarterback, which CJ.

Speaker 2 (01:01:14):
Stroud deal with the Texans last season. Jayde and Daniels
has to pass that.

Speaker 3 (01:01:21):
First rookie and NF for history to lead his team
in passing and rushing yards in a playoff game. By
the way, he led his team in passing and rushing
yards during the season.

Speaker 7 (01:01:28):
Two way.

Speaker 2 (01:01:29):
It's not easy like that is.

Speaker 3 (01:01:33):
How often do you think that happens where a player
leads in the NFL?

Speaker 2 (01:01:37):
All right, lead their.

Speaker 3 (01:01:38):
Team in passing and rushing and not only do that,
but then do it successfully, not just do it do
it for like a bad team. I can see it
a quarterback doing it for a bad team. You're a
unique elite athlete doing it for a bad team. They
don't have running backs, they don't have options. O line
is terrible. So of course you know you're leading to
in passing, but you end up leading to and rushing
through because scrambling yards and you're running for life and

(01:02:02):
oftentimes you don't have you know, weapons around you. But
he's doing it four a team that's you know, won
a playoff game. Now he's a rookie. That doesn't happen.
I went back and looked at it. You've got fourteen
players in NFL history who led their team in rushing,
in passing fourteen total twenty seven times.

Speaker 2 (01:02:27):
So these fourteen players, some of them have done it
multiple times. The list of it and in the.

Speaker 3 (01:02:34):
Modern era, you know, it's actually now, I think increasing
now and more and more in the modern era with
the quarterback renaissance, more and more quarterbacks that are some
of the best athletes on the team. And now you're
starting to see more and more this. This is more
of an occurrence that you didn't see back in the day,
but it was you know, you go get. I think

(01:02:55):
Justin Fields was one of the latest.

Speaker 2 (01:02:57):
He did it in.

Speaker 3 (01:03:00):
One twenty three. This past season, jayde Daniels did it.
So he's added the list that would make fifteen players.
So I said, fourteen fifteen, add Jene Daniels a list
that makes fifteen.

Speaker 2 (01:03:10):
Justin Fields on the list.

Speaker 3 (01:03:11):
Toby wrote, Charlie Trippy, al Darrow, these are names in
the fifties in the sixties, so you don't even obviously
justin Fields, you know, in Jane Daniels, but the guys
here I'm starting within the fifteen sixties, Robin Tote, Charlie Trippy,
I'm sure they have some really cool nicknames, l Ol Darrow.
Then in nineteen sixty Lenny Moore did it, and that

(01:03:35):
kind of starts more of the modern era. Bobby Douglas
in nineteen seventy two did it. Randall Cunningham. Then you
know guys like Donovan McNabb, Cam Newton, Russell Wilson, Josh
Allen did it, Laura Jackson did it, Janlin Hurts did
it as well, and Ryan Fitzpatrick did it, which was

(01:03:55):
kind of weird.

Speaker 2 (01:03:56):
I'm talking about like for bad teams, coding freaking.

Speaker 3 (01:03:59):
But yeah, so it's it doesn't happen a lot, but
to do it, and he's probably gonna do it multiple
times because he's just that talented, he's just that much
of a weapon.

Speaker 2 (01:04:06):
He's like Lamara Jackson.

Speaker 3 (01:04:07):
Lamar Jackson didn't do it this year because they got
Derreck Henry. He did in twenty nineteen, twenty twenty, twenty
twenty one, twenty twenty two, twenty twenty three. He led
them in passing industry.

Speaker 2 (01:04:19):
Freaky. Randall Conningham was also like that too.

Speaker 3 (01:04:22):
Young people probably don't know what you should google it
eighty seven, eighty nine to ninety.

Speaker 2 (01:04:27):
Basically, he.

Speaker 3 (01:04:30):
Kind of had a Patrick Mahomes like skill set. Honestly,
Man Jeff how used to always make the comparison. It
is very much so like he, but he was he
was more had a more of a long legged stride.

Speaker 2 (01:04:41):
He can run, but he was a freak. He used
to punt too. I think Man Randall Coenan was one
of the best athletes in the history of the league.
So that's the list.

Speaker 3 (01:04:49):
But my point is Jayden Daniels is on that list
as a rookie. I don't even I haven't even looked
at the list and see how many of them did
it as a rookie. But to do it as a
rookie and win a playoff game, and this season he's
he's clutched too when the game is tied or they're
down by one score in the fourth quarter overtime, he's
clutched six touchdowns, two interceptions, one to seventeen pass already

(01:05:10):
got five comeback wins. I mean he that's I will admit,
and I'm looked like I said, I'm a I'm a
Texans fan, tolm a CJ.

Speaker 2 (01:05:19):
Stroud fan.

Speaker 3 (01:05:21):
What he's done the second rookie qubit in for his
street to have a three hundred total plus two hundred
plus total yards and two plus passing touchdowns zero interceptions
in his playoff debut. That's some freaky stuff. The freaking
is that associated with him is these zero punt, zero
turnover games. Jane Daniels has more games in his career

(01:05:42):
where his team had zero punts and zero turnovers, three
including that last play game. Then the combined careers of
Tom Brady, Joe Montana, Peyton Manning, and Patrick Mahomes.

Speaker 2 (01:05:57):
Are getting that crazy.

Speaker 3 (01:05:59):
I mean that is that's a wild stat the does
zero punt, zero punt, zero turnover game and he's done
it multiple times this year. And he's got five fourth
quarter comeback wins as a rookie. That is, that is
tied for the most comeback wins by a rookie in

(01:06:19):
NFL history. Oh, by the way, lit t V got
V I had four and the VY had four, so
did Andrew Luck and Russell Wilson just had that he did.
He had the clutch gene. It wasn't necessarily the efficient
NFL quarterback. But one thing we know about Vy dode
at the clutch gene that short and something about j

(01:06:40):
Dan He's got the clutch gen, got the clutch gene.

Speaker 2 (01:06:43):
He's also really efficiently.

Speaker 3 (01:06:44):
Think it was top ten and if you're looking at
overall on the QBR UH and passer rating, I mean
he was as he performed like a top ten quarterback
as a rookie.

Speaker 2 (01:06:57):
That's what you learned about, uh that game is that
Jane Daniels.

Speaker 3 (01:07:02):
And then I would say he may have solidified his
claim for having the best rookie season in the history
of the NFL. And all season long, man, he's been
making plays like that, just spectacular, uh freaky plays like
that all season long. All right, Let's let's discuss really

(01:07:23):
quickly the Cowboys head coaching. We've been talking about it
all day, but the head coaching vacancy for the Cowboys,
because right now there are reports that Dion seems to
be the front runner for the job.

Speaker 2 (01:07:35):
If Dian I will say.

Speaker 3 (01:07:36):
This about it, because Dion would understand Jerry's culture and
the way Jerry works.

Speaker 2 (01:07:43):
That's possible Jerry right now.

Speaker 3 (01:07:47):
Jerry, I'm sure you know, would be willing to listen
to a few select people in his circle.

Speaker 2 (01:07:52):
I think Dion could be one of those people that
Jerry would listen to.

Speaker 3 (01:07:56):
What you meaning, if you know you can influence Jerry's decisions,
I think Dion could do it. If indeed we're talking
about Dion as the guy, it's it's it's to me.
I haven't seen Dion as a coach without Shudure, so
that would be something. But I will say this about

(01:08:16):
Dion and Jerry, if they if it's gonna be must.

Speaker 2 (01:08:21):
Watch television, there's no doubt about it.

Speaker 3 (01:08:23):
It'd be probably the greatest show in the NFL that's
had in a really long time.

Speaker 2 (01:08:30):
And they have a lot of.

Speaker 3 (01:08:30):
These when the quarterbacks change, our head coaching changes, but
having Dion Sanders as your coach, it would definitely make
you prime time. I was already the number one TV
start on a number one TV show. Talk about up
in the Ante. All right, we'll come back.

Speaker 2 (01:08:44):
We'll discuss that. We'll also get back to some of
the other playoff games, what we learned.

Speaker 3 (01:08:49):
We'll talk about some of the Texas or football departures,
guys who are leaving the Gold, the NFL, all that
more right here on the Craigweight Show on A thirteen
hundred the Zone. All right, welcome back to the Craigway
Show on Lifetime. A long one ride, baby, sitting in
for the one and only Craig Way. So I appreciate
Craig giving me the time. Just talking about some of

(01:09:10):
the playoff games, and we're talking about some Texas football
as well. As a matter of fact, I want to
talk a little bit about that the goal line stand
for House State. Jim Knowles was asked to describe the
goal line stand. I think we want to play that
audio for you coming up, So we'll get into that
talk to Texas football, talk about all the departures, the
guys who have exhausted Eljibili and those who have declared

(01:09:33):
early for the upcoming NFL draft. Will dive into it.
But getting back to the NFL playoffs just a little bit.
One of the things I just noticed because I was
just talking about Jane Daniels and how great Jane Daniels
has been in the three games he's had with zero
punts and zero turnovers, and how freaky that is, and
he's he led his team in rushing and also in passing,

(01:09:55):
which I explained to you how rare that is. Fifteen
players have done the imbibition those fifteen players, so you
got your they see your final eight teams, and four
of them will have quarterbacks that are on this list
of fifteen players in NFL history who have led their

(01:10:18):
team in passing and rushing in the same season, Josh Allen,
Lamar Jackson, Jalen Hurts, and Jade Daniels, which tells you
a little bit about the trend and right and where
things are going in terms of the quarterback position. Right,

(01:10:38):
only fifteen players in the history of the league have
led their team in passing and rushing. Four of those
fifteen players will be playing or still playing in the playoffs.

Speaker 2 (01:10:52):
Right, That's right.

Speaker 3 (01:10:53):
And the crazy part about it is tell you this
all the time. And when we started breaking down the
Texans and the Chiefs, we'll.

Speaker 2 (01:11:00):
Get into it more.

Speaker 3 (01:11:02):
Patrick Mahomes is a dual threat quarterback masquerading as a
pocket passer. We watched him in Big twelve play here
at Texas. I've watched him and I remember him as
a dual thread quarterback and running a lot at Texas
Tech as a player, and when he got to the NFL,
he became such a you know, dynamic passer that you know,

(01:11:22):
people kind of forgot about his legs, his ability to run.
But the truth is he can run, but only does
it in games that matter. Like he he is, like,
he only chooses to use his legs when the games
matter most, and it's.

Speaker 2 (01:11:35):
Usually in the playoffs.

Speaker 3 (01:11:36):
So I would say in the playoffs, Patrick Mahomes becomes
more of a dual threat quarterback, even then down from
stretches late in the season because they had so many
walkoff wins. We had like six or seven walk off
wins this year, so he needed to use his legs.
But it's only when he's gotta have it and gotta
have his situations. Yeah, at past moons, he's right up there,
like he's he's right up there with If you look

(01:11:58):
at Moe's playoff rush years by a quarterback, Patrick Mahomes
is like up there.

Speaker 2 (01:12:03):
At least recently, I think he's up there with La Layd.

Speaker 3 (01:12:08):
Jackson's got six hundred and two, Josh Allen six hundred
and nine, Russell Wilson five thirty three, Steve Young, five
ninety four. Patrick ma Holmes five twenty four. I'm telling
you that's when his legs come to life.

Speaker 2 (01:12:21):
Got to watch it.

Speaker 3 (01:12:22):
But anyway, he's not on that. This one point is
he's still among that group. In my opinion, the game
is changing. These playoffs are a prime example of it.
All right, let's talk about the Dallas. Let's talk about Oh,
you know what. First of all, it's gettingto one more
matchup at least, you know, one of the victors and
the one of the losers of the playoff matchups. This

(01:12:44):
from this past weekend. Mike Tomlin and the Steelers, and
we know that. I think Mike, I know, Mike Thomlins
a damn good coach. I think Mike Thomains gonna end
up being a Hall of Fame coach when it's all
said and done. But there are some people that that
the Steelers need to move on from Mike Tomblin. And
you know, maybe they do need to move on from

(01:13:05):
Mike Tomblin. I think the big issue with Mike Tomlin,
and I've said it before, because the Ravens that the
Ravens right now, the way they're built and constructed, that
Steelers team, they just can't score enough points to even
contend with the Ravens. They usually match up pretty well
with them within the division, but they can't contend with
him when it comes to scoring anywhere in the high

(01:13:26):
twenties or in the thirties, right, Mike Tomlin, the teams
are built to score around twenty four points. That's really
where the kind of the line is drawn. Anytime after that,
it's a shootout. And unless they have the quarterback in
the firepower, then Mike thomlins teams lately, they're usually you know,
gonna be outmatched. And that's what's been happening in the
playoffs for Mike Tomlin's teams. So he hadn't been able

(01:13:48):
to win the playoff game. He hasn't been able to
win a playoff game in my opinion, mostly because he
hasn't had, you know, a quarterback playing any lee level
or in league quarterback.

Speaker 2 (01:13:57):
The people forget when.

Speaker 3 (01:13:58):
You start looking at these all time great coaches been
I've been tracking you know, all time great coaches and
their you know, kind of path to greatness if you will,
how many of them were able to win without a
Hall of Fame quarterback or a quarterback that became a
Hall of Fame quarterback at one point, it's just really tough. Now,

(01:14:20):
maybe you can win a playoff game or two, but
it's you ain't gonna win it all. It's just their
exception to the rule. But most of the time, if
you're looking at a coach that's a great coach, they're
associated with a quarterback that's also become a Hall of Famer.
I tracked like eight coaches they were able to win
a Super Bowl without a quarterback that is now considered

(01:14:40):
a Hall of Famer or will be considered one.

Speaker 2 (01:14:44):
Bill Parcells.

Speaker 3 (01:14:44):
That's why Bill Parcels is considered a made like made
men among mad men, right because winning with Phil Seals
and Jeff Hosteler, there may no there may no Hall
of Fame quarterbacks. Joe Gibbs always you know, champion Joe
Gibbs as one of the all time greats. Wanted with
Joe Thaisman, Doug Williams and Mark Ripping Warriors quarterbacks. Those guys, Uh,

(01:15:10):
Tom Floris should get more more recognition. Dan Pasterini and
Jim Plunkett Warriors quarterbacks. And he wanted good quarterbacks, not
Hall of famers. You know, hell, John Gruden, that's why
John Gruden still get a lot of gets a lot
of love Brad Johnson. Now, he had an all time
great defense, and that's that's usually the formula. And you
got an all time great quarterback or you got an

(01:15:31):
all time great defense. You know, Russell Wilson is Russell
Wilson's gonna be a Hall of Famer.

Speaker 2 (01:15:37):
I don't know.

Speaker 6 (01:15:37):
I don't know.

Speaker 3 (01:15:38):
I think he was on his pathway to being one,
and then things got derailed for him. You know, it's
it's usually one nor the other, but it's hard to
do it without one. Now people are saying Matthew Saffords
a Hall of Famer, you know, after winning a Super Bowl.
So for for Mike Thomas, I think Mike Thumb is
a damn good coach. I think make tumbam will get

(01:15:59):
you to the playoffs. But if you want to look
at the Cowboys, if you want to get further into playoffs,
if you want to get further in like the divisional round,
you're gonna need your quarterback to put the cape on.
At one point, yes, you're coaching can give you a
schematic advantage, but ultimately, at the highest level, you need
a quarterback that can put the Cape on and go
out there and make extraordinary plays in critical moments. And

(01:16:23):
that's what Dak hasn't really been able to do, which
we'll talk about on the other side. So Cowboys fans
a little bit frustrated with that.

Speaker 2 (01:16:30):
That's what CJ.

Speaker 3 (01:16:31):
Stroud's gonna have to do if he's gonna beat Patrick
Mahomes and take down the Juggernaut on a dynastic run
trying to win three in a row. That is the
Kansas City Chiefs. That's what he comes down to. We
saw Tom Brady do it. I went to the Super
Bowl last year and watched Patrick Mahomes do it in
person against the forty nine ers, and yeah, I didn't

(01:16:51):
the cape wasn't literal, but.

Speaker 2 (01:16:52):
Man, you can see it. All right, we come back.

Speaker 3 (01:16:54):
We'll talk about the goal line standard for the Ohio
State Buck guys, Jim knows, he gives his description on it.
Will lost or get back to the Cowboys vacancy. Dion
Sanders the front runner for that Cowboys job. That is
a blockbuster of a headline. We'll get to that and
more right here on the Greig Way Show. Rod Baber's
coming back right here on the zone, all right, Welcome
back to the Craigway Show here on AM thirteen hundred

(01:17:16):
The Zone. We'll get to some audio from Adam Schefter
talking about the Dallas Cowboys head coaching vacancy.

Speaker 2 (01:17:24):
We'll also get some audio that we have.

Speaker 3 (01:17:27):
Of Jim Knowles, the defensive coordator from a house state,
describing what he for, at least from his vantage point,
what he called versus Texas on that first and goal,
second and goal, third and goal in need the obviously
pivotal fourth and goal where they end up getting these
strips sacked for a touchdown. So we'll get his thoughts

(01:17:48):
on it, and we'll discuss a little bit. We'll also
discuss the players who are departing Texas Football heading to
the NFL. We'll get into that list and talk about
how the twenty twenty five RUSS was gonna look at
a bit for the long Horns. And also we'll discuss
some of the other playoff games from this past weekend
and then look ahead to the playoff matchups. And then

(01:18:08):
we got coming up, including the Houston Texans. So let's
not waste any time, let's stop writing to it. Jim
Knowles recently spoke to the media and one of the
questions they asked them. I've been looking for this because
I was like, Man, I wonder when you're gonna hear
Ohio State side of that of what happened and on
the goal line and what they called. And sorry Longland
fans to bring it up again. I know some of
y'all in y'all stages of grief, y'all are passed this already.

(01:18:30):
Yall right, think exceptance fades and I apologize, but I
wanted to hit this because I just saw it and
I think it just came out today. Jim knows the
defensive coordinator Overhall State. Here's him describing what he called
on the first in goal sequence for Texas. Sorry for
Ohio State versus Texas in that matchup.

Speaker 7 (01:18:51):
Big topic from the last game was the goal line stand.
Can you go through each of the four plays just
really quickly, I know, for his historical sake, just.

Speaker 8 (01:19:04):
First play we got into big people, boom stopped them.

Speaker 3 (01:19:07):
Fair.

Speaker 8 (01:19:10):
Second play, we were still in big people, and which
leaves your vulnerable to some cracked tosses and things. And
our guys practiced it and they read it and Caleb
Downs pulled his trigger exceptionally and everybody rallied. Third play,
we were in a red zone coverage that we haven't

(01:19:35):
used before, so I think we had a good thing
there and Jack actually got pressure on that play and
we had we had all the routes covered.

Speaker 2 (01:19:48):
And then uh.

Speaker 8 (01:19:53):
I decided to stay in the same call in the
next play and it worked. Just wow, you know, yeah, yeah,
that's what you that's how you coached. Yeah, just playing
on a bad ankle and just dominated the block and

(01:20:13):
got off the block and made the play white.

Speaker 2 (01:20:17):
We talked a lot all right there you go.

Speaker 3 (01:20:21):
That actually was very insightful because he's basically telling you
that he was in heavy personnel. They were on the
goal line, so he's in goal line defense, got big
guys out there, and that would support Sarks at least,
you know, the play call and probably sucks sarks thought

(01:20:42):
process that I'm gonna go wide, I'm gonna pitch it,
and he just he said it in the clip we
just played that. You know, obviously that leaves them vulnerable
to pitches and tosses because they were going big personnel
and that's probably why Sar decides a pitch.

Speaker 2 (01:21:00):
And toss it.

Speaker 3 (01:21:01):
It didn't work, It was it wouldn't have been considered
such a bad call if anybody had executed it any
of the players, asked you, but all the basically all
the players from Texas offensively, they got beat because Ohio
State was so well prepared and they they triggered quickly,
and on top of the play call being a play call,

(01:21:24):
you're trying to surprise them. It didn't surprise them. And
then you know, players just lost their one on one
battles that that that does happen usually don't happen all
at one time. But then he I love that He
pointed out also that he called a red zone call,
a red zone coverage on third down and fourth down,

(01:21:45):
and they hadn't called all year, so we hadn't run it.

Speaker 2 (01:21:50):
Quinn hadn't seen it. Quinn hadn't seen it at all,
and then he decided.

Speaker 3 (01:21:54):
To run it again on fourth down after after being
successful on third down, Sawyer got pressure on that third down,
and Dan Sawyer actually got the strip fumble strip sack
on on fourth down.

Speaker 2 (01:22:07):
So and I believe on on that pressure on third
that he was actually mashed up on.

Speaker 3 (01:22:14):
I think he gets mashed up on the interior and
then he ended up like on either Hayden Connor getting
that pressure uh somehow. But either way, there's your insight
that that's probably why I started called the toss. They
were vulnerable there because they were going big, uh, but
they were well prepared for Sark. And the reason that
Quinn looked so slow to process on third and fourth

(01:22:37):
down is because he had not seen that coverage on film.
Got a break tendency to win the big games. Always said, Uh,
you gotta break tendency if you wanna win big games.
And I don't think Texas broke tendency enough. You guys know,
I don't think I think Texas could have broke tendency
a little bit more in that game and might have

(01:22:58):
made a bigger difference. It's I'm not a lot of
folks that are really critical love you know of Sark,
and I think you know Sark's done a done a
good job. I think there are some things that Sharks
he's still evolving and growing.

Speaker 2 (01:23:13):
There are some things that he's still growing with as
a coach.

Speaker 3 (01:23:16):
I still think that's a part of his development overall
as a coach that we're seeing. I think his red
zone play calling, that's still something he's starting to figure
he's figuring out post Bjon and Rojo.

Speaker 2 (01:23:30):
We haven't seen Texas red zone offense look very good.
Let's be honest.

Speaker 3 (01:23:33):
It was really it was really good been Bjon and
Rojo's time here in Texas, and once you lost Bjon
and Rojo, you'll really had a precipitous decline in red
zone productivity and efficiency.

Speaker 2 (01:23:47):
So got to work on that. You've been you've lost
five games the last two.

Speaker 3 (01:23:53):
Years, and three of those you've been denied on a
goal line stand. And in three of the five you've
had either a goal line you've been denied on the
goal line stand, or you had you were failed to
score in the red zone and it cost you failed
to score points in the red zone. That was Washington, Oklahoma,

(01:24:16):
and now obviously Ohio State. So that's a that's a
that's a theme all your losses this year? Where was
your running game? Didn't have one? Did never running game
versus Ohiose State, did never running game versus Georgia both times,
did never running versus Arizona State, but wanted on fourth

(01:24:37):
and thirteen thanks to the testicular fortitude and hell of
a throw by courtin yours hell of a call by
Sark being clutch, and that's great, but that's the only
reason you wanted.

Speaker 2 (01:24:48):
So there's another theme there.

Speaker 3 (01:24:50):
Right, you gotta be able to boost, you gotta be
able to pivot in your running game, and be able
to have different, you know, contingency plans. When someone stops
your why out your wide zone and you're outside zone,
which is what Georgia did and what Arizona say did
and with the house they did, and once they do that,
Texas really has no answer.

Speaker 2 (01:25:08):
Got to figure that out.

Speaker 3 (01:25:10):
So that's still for I think that those are things
for Sark that have existed just beyond this season. Right,
You've had red zone issues for multiple years. Your goal
line issues have existed, also, goal line issues with more pierces.
There's a reason Sark decides to go with a D
and around and a reverse versus Georgia and Arizona State

(01:25:31):
on a third and short and the fourth and fourth
and one as the fourth and two. I believe it
was in a third and two versus Arizona State, and
we all applaud his brilliant play design and go Sark,
that's amazing, But truly it's distracting us from the issue,
which is Why can't you just line up with these
big humans and running down somebody's damn throat when you

(01:25:54):
need two yards or need a yard? Why can't you
run the ball with everybody knows you got to get
a yard? White can't we just line up and get
a yard, whether it be by putting a quarterback under
center for a quarterback snake, or to be running it
downhill down their throat with an old school fullback, whatever
it may be, or just using the big humans that
Texas champions and brags about. That's the real issue, which

(01:26:16):
was ultimately exposed, right, And I remember saying it when
they did it versus Georgia. I was like man an
end and a round on the fourth and too, it's
a it's definitely surprising, and you want to catch, you
want to use deception and catch your opponent off guard.
But it's risky versus a really good defense like Georgia.

(01:26:38):
And is it just because he doesn't believe they can
line up and run it and get two yards versus
a good defense and a stout defensive front. Probably so
now looking back, probably so that's probably a reason for
the toss too. And you know what, maybe he's right.
He knows the team better than we do. But I
think there's growth from Sark. I think more of my
big complaints about Sark is I want to see him

(01:26:59):
become an extremist when when when they when a concept works,
you know, I always I always say, doesn't like leftovers,
and he doesn't play the hits enough in his offense.
When something works, let's see it, let's see it again
later that game, Let's see it again the next week.
But you don't start like saves them. And he uh,
he wants moderation in his game plan. He wants to
be balancing his game plans. But what I liked about

(01:27:21):
the game versus Oyle State, Hey, the will rock worked
in the red zone.

Speaker 2 (01:27:24):
Run it again.

Speaker 3 (01:27:26):
If they don't know how to cover it, run it again.
I'd run it again today, learn how to stop it
and keep throwing it to learn how to stop it.
And he actually did that right, And he was stubborn
about a concept. We don't see that enough from I
remember in that Washington game last year, n the pony
package on the second drive, you went right down the
field scorch your first touch down on the pony package,
and you only saw a two plays for the rest

(01:27:47):
of the game.

Speaker 2 (01:27:47):
You have a ten year olds per play on it.
I'm like, why don't we run it more? Right there?

Speaker 3 (01:27:51):
And that happens with Sark there the tight end leak play.
You ran it to beat Arizona State. That was the
last player to tight touchdown to Gunnerham You again versus House.

Speaker 2 (01:28:01):
They need work the very next game.

Speaker 3 (01:28:03):
Yeah, and yet we only see it like four times
a season, Like we should see that, honest. I break
it out like once again. And I know it'd be
easier to Ben because you'd see it more. But my
point is, become an extremist about certain concepts, and I
think it will give you an advantage because they work.

Speaker 2 (01:28:23):
So we'll see.

Speaker 3 (01:28:24):
But that's kind of one of my complaints about the
Texas office a little bit. So they're still growth for
Sark in that regard. All Right, we come back, we'll
get into the Cowboys and their head coaching vacancy. We'll
discuss really the front runner right now, Deon Sanders, how
substantive is that report? We'll hear from Adam Schefter and
talk about Rother Sark is a realistic possibility. All that

(01:28:45):
more right here on the Craig Way Show, right here
on AM thirteen hundred zone.

Speaker 2 (01:28:49):
All right, welcome back to the Craigway Show.

Speaker 3 (01:28:51):
I am not Craigway. Sometimes I wish I was Craigway,
but I don't have the recall. I don't have the memory,
the knowledge, the talent. Just it's not not not the way.
But Craig Wade did allow me to uh guest holst
the show, So I appreciate Craig Waite for letting me
sit in today. He and Cam Parker will be back
next week, but they'll let me sit in and guest

(01:29:13):
holst the show. So I appreciate that. And time is
flun to having a lot of fun on the show.
Let's get to the Cowboys and they're head coaching vacancy
because you know, you know one of the things that
I think has kind of now become the most salacious.
Then I think I grabbing and I catching. I should say.

(01:29:35):
Headline seems to be Deion Sanders that he's gonna be
at least a front runner right now for that Dallas
Cowboys job opening. It has been reported that he and
Jerry Jones have spoken I'm a big d On Sanders fan.

Speaker 2 (01:29:51):
I love me some Deon.

Speaker 3 (01:29:52):
I did predict that Dion I was like when Dean
at the college double He's gonna have success.

Speaker 2 (01:29:56):
And it's even before Colorado hired them.

Speaker 3 (01:29:59):
Most man, whoever hires him, it's a win win because
he is such a you know, generational right as, such
a generational personality to be coaching in college that no
matter even he failed miserably as a coach, which he
has not shown that he can coach coach football, but

(01:30:23):
he failed miserably, you would fail forward, you would fail
up because he would stockpile your roster with great talent
because he can recruit.

Speaker 6 (01:30:32):
Right.

Speaker 3 (01:30:32):
If I was a seventeen year old hell, I had
Colorado in Texas among my final five schools when I
was being recruited back in nineteen ninety nine. So if
Dian was at Colorado now and Sark was doing what
he's at Texas, I can tell you right now, they
would be still among my top five schools. Might be
my final three to be Texas in Colorado, and I
might end up at one and transferring to the other one.

(01:30:54):
Who knows if everything doesn't work out. But Den is
coolest currency in recruiting, and there's no cooler coach in
DN nobody's ever been a Hall of Fame or Profittball
Hall of Famer and come back to coach college.

Speaker 2 (01:31:06):
They don't do that. Now it's starting to become more
and more compleiss.

Speaker 3 (01:31:09):
But Dean was the first and definitely has done it
on a bigger stage than anybody.

Speaker 2 (01:31:13):
That's very different than going to the NFL.

Speaker 3 (01:31:15):
Will you lose all of that cachet because you don't
you're not recruiting. Everybody knows you're a profitball Hall of Famer.
But that happens all the time in the NFL. Profitaball
Hall of Famous coach all the time in the league.
Coach they succeed, they fail. Doesn't make you special. You're
special in college with being you know, having that, you know,
having that banner, being able being in that very exclusive club.

(01:31:40):
So here is Adam Schefter, because Adam Schefter the ultimate insider.

Speaker 2 (01:31:44):
He was asked about Dion Sanders.

Speaker 3 (01:31:47):
He was recently asked about, you know, whether Deion Sanders
would consider uh the job as the Cowboys head coach.
Here is Adam Schefter, recently on ESPN and discussing the
Cowboys that can't coaching vacancy.

Speaker 6 (01:32:03):
As related, I spoke to Dion last night in the
second half of the game, and he said to me
that he was not intending to go to the NFL,
not that he will go to the NFL, that's not
what he was thinking, but that the love and respect
he has for Jerry Jones is so great that if

(01:32:27):
Jerry Jones calls him, he's always going to listen.

Speaker 4 (01:32:31):
And that's what happened.

Speaker 6 (01:32:33):
Now.

Speaker 4 (01:32:34):
Dion also has.

Speaker 6 (01:32:35):
Been talking to Colorado and.

Speaker 4 (01:32:40):
Said that made it very clear.

Speaker 6 (01:32:42):
He loves it there, loves it there, and he loves
Jerry Jones. And honestly, that's a great spot to be.
And if you're Deon Sanders, because you're going to have
two winning hands here, that's a question of which one
you want to play if you can even play both
of them.

Speaker 4 (01:32:56):
Now, I don't know that it will get that blow
with Dallas, it certainly can.

Speaker 6 (01:33:02):
I think back to a conversation that I had about
I don't know sixteen seventeen, eighteen months ago, where I
was talking to an NFL general manager. He said, I
got a prediction for you market down right now. The
next head coach in the Dallas Cowboys is going to
be Dion Sanders. And I was like, really okay, and
I always remember that, and lo and behold, Jerry checked

(01:33:26):
in with Dion yesterday and.

Speaker 4 (01:33:28):
They'll continue talking. But I said to Dion last night,
so what's next?

Speaker 6 (01:33:34):
And he said, I don't know, And I said, you
don't know, I don't know.

Speaker 4 (01:33:40):
So I think everything's really up in the air.

Speaker 3 (01:33:43):
The reason that you know, I think Dion, if indeed
he is interested in coaching the NFL, we don't know.

Speaker 2 (01:33:50):
Maybe he just wants to be a college coach.

Speaker 3 (01:33:52):
But if he does want to coach the NFL, and
you ain't gonna get a better opportunity to market yourself
as a coach. And Dion Sanders is the ultimate marketing
mind right in terms of marketing his brand and with
the Dallas Cowboys, the number one TV star and the
number one TV show in America.

Speaker 2 (01:34:05):
But you can always go back to college.

Speaker 3 (01:34:07):
That's been proven in college boy, except to with open arms,
your failure at the NFL level doesn't matter in college,
ass matter, rule ass Nick Saban doesn't matter. You can
always go to the NFL fail miserably, come back to college.
College moll gladly except you, because they know it's kind
of two different sports, especially in terms of the talent acquisition.

(01:34:29):
So that's another thing for Dion if he's worried about
it overall hurting his value as a college coach.

Speaker 2 (01:34:35):
I don't necessarily think it would.

Speaker 3 (01:34:37):
I think teams would still in college if he doesn't
succeed at the NFL level, give him a chance at
the college level.

Speaker 2 (01:34:43):
Something that isn't coming up at all, though.

Speaker 3 (01:34:44):
It's interesting, is Dak Prescott like he is going to
be such an important piece to whatever formula, whoever whatever,
to whatever coach is formula all right, that you're gonna
bring in, and yet there's been no real talk about,
you know, Dak's development and a coach that can take
Dak to the next level. And one of the things
that intrigued I think, or at least that should have

(01:35:08):
intrigued Cowboys fans, was the fact that Dak had one
of his best years under Mike McCarthy and that Texas
Coast offense, whatever it was. You need a coach that
can bring out the most and Dak. You need big
Dak energy, and you did get that with Mike McCarthy.

Speaker 6 (01:35:22):
I know.

Speaker 3 (01:35:23):
Kellen Moore is also another name that's been mentioned. Kellen
Moore and Dak worked together for a long time. I
don't know if you got the best of Dak, though
you got a better You got Dak to hit closer
to his ceiling with Mike McCarthy a couple of years ago.
Obviously now he's older, you know, overpaid if you want

(01:35:43):
to say that, but also dealing with injuries. So I
get that, but that should be one of your number
one objectives. Like I need somebody who's gonna come in
and like I said, bring make sure I can get
the big Dak energy because otherwise the cod Boys got
no shots of ancy passed the division round and Cowboys fans,

(01:36:04):
I know Collwege fans feel about that. The big issue
with Dak and Cole West fans is Cowboys fans never
they never warmed up to Dak.

Speaker 2 (01:36:13):
There's a great Chris Rock line.

Speaker 3 (01:36:17):
He's talking about marriage relationships and he's talking about how
why your woman's always mad?

Speaker 2 (01:36:22):
Like, why is your woman always mad and angry?

Speaker 3 (01:36:24):
If you're a woman's mad neggry, I'm not say she is, uh,
but if she is mad and angry at the time,
why is she in a bad mood? And his answer
is because you you are not her first choice and
that encapsulates how Cole West fans feel about that. That
wasn't their first choice.

Speaker 2 (01:36:40):
Either, It was Romo.

Speaker 3 (01:36:41):
Why all those guys will always be very, very polarizing
is because they always wanted a prince that was promised
a really high draft pick at quarterback, and the Collboyds
don't haven't done that.

Speaker 2 (01:36:51):
They don't really do that.

Speaker 3 (01:36:53):
They've drafted the fewest fewest quarterbacks in the NFL since
two thousand. They don't really operate that way. And that's
a lot of what the Dak blowback is about. But
different discussion for a different day. But the Cowboys do
need to be concerned about the next coach maximizing Dak
and bringing that big Dak energy that discussed. All right,
we come back. We'll get into more playoff discussion. We'll

(01:37:14):
talk about the Textans a little bit. We talked a
lot about the Cowboys. Let's talk about the Texans a
little bit, and we'll get into more Cowboys discussion as
the show goes on. All of that more right here
on the Zone, the Craigway Show. I'm lifetime long hun
Rode Raps coming back right here on the thirteen hundred.
I'll welcome back to the Craigway Show. I'm lifetime long
hun Rod Babers. Let's talk some Texans a little bit.
Even though we talked a lot of Cowboys. Of course,

(01:37:35):
I'd like to give the Texans who actually are instill
in the playoffs, give them a little air of time,
even though the Cowboys do dominate. The Cowboys always believe
in be good or be interesting. It helps to be both,
but if you can't be good, just be interesting. Cowboys
definitely are more interesting than the Texas. But the Texans
are pretty damn good. They have to show how good
they are. They'll be facing the Kansas City Chiefs and

(01:37:58):
hoping to oh Man topple a dynasty right now, hoping
to win three in a row and would do something
that no other NFL team has ever done. But let's
talk about the Texans a little bit. It's something that
you know, I'm not saying the Texans are gonna bull
the upset. I'm not predicting that I'm taking Kansas City
under staying that right now, but in looking at the
ways that the Texans can beat Kansas City, because I

(01:38:22):
do believe it's gonna be close. But the Texas, the
Kansasity Chiefs have played close games all year. I believe
they had like seven walk off WINNSDA this year. They've
been playing close games all year.

Speaker 2 (01:38:30):
That's what they do. They're not good, but they are
a clutch.

Speaker 3 (01:38:34):
But the Texans defense has made some of the best
quarterbacks in the NFL look pedestrian. I'll give him that.
Demiico Rantas does a good job of coming up with
game plans. He's really modernized that that defense. That defense
is as modern as it gets. You got elite versatile
edge rushers. You're the only team with two players ranked

(01:38:57):
in the top ten in sacks, Anderson and Daniel Hunter,
and so you can get after you can just straight
up get after the path the opposing passer, and you
can create organic pressure with just those two, or you
can decide to blitz Sexans don't blitz a ton, but
they will to break tendency.

Speaker 2 (01:39:15):
But the Texans secondary is was really surprised.

Speaker 3 (01:39:18):
We knew they were going to be able to apply
pressure just because of what they did in the offseason,
but the secondary was to look at a question, you know, concern.
Actually even earlier on in the season. The secondary is
really rounded into form and Remember what they did to
Jared Goff. He threw five interceptions. Remember Josh Allen. Remember
Josh Allen when he played the Texans, he had a

(01:39:40):
I believe it was a thirty. He had thirty percent
completion percentage. It was his career low, and it was
the lowest completion rate in a game for any quarterback
with at least thirty passes in the last thirty years.
I mean, I had never seen, at least in the
last four or five years since we have put Josh

(01:40:03):
Allen on this pedestal, I've not seen him play that
bad like he played against the Texans. Jared Goff of
decher Lion's the end up winning that game. I don't
know how you held you win the game when your
quarterback throws that in exceptions, but they did Jordan Love
through a couple of picks versus the Texans to Tua
quarterback through three picks in the game. But the point

(01:40:23):
is they've made some good quarterbacks, and of course Justin
Herbert recently made you know Justin Herbert through multiple interceptions
pick sixes in that game. So the Texans secondary actually
is easily the biggest surprise of the season. That group
is playing really really well. Uh Kayln Bullock. Nobody saw

(01:40:45):
that coming. You know in the secondary, you had you
had starters that were down in the secondary. And yet
you know, Derek Stanley had one.

Speaker 2 (01:40:55):
Of his best games.

Speaker 3 (01:40:56):
I predicted before the season started he would be in
All pro. I don't know if he's wells to be
an All probe, he's definitely having held of a year.

Speaker 2 (01:41:02):
Kamari Lassiter, Eric Murray.

Speaker 3 (01:41:05):
I mean, your backups and even some of the younger
guys are playing really well for the Texans. If you
look at the what's his name that I saw the
young man Miles Bryant is his name? He had the
team Miles Bryant, Who's you know, nobody thought he'd be
a guy that's playing a lot for him, but because
of the injuries, he played a lot.

Speaker 2 (01:41:24):
He ended up on Lad McConkie.

Speaker 3 (01:41:27):
He had the team and covering Lad McConkie, yet he
was on forty four percent of the time. Lad mcconky
ended up having a good game versus the Texans. But
you know, the Technics are not afraid to play some
of those young guys, and so we'll see if the
secondary will be tested going up against the Kansas City Chiefs,
of course, but that's a good.

Speaker 2 (01:41:43):
Sign there also are gonna need that running game.

Speaker 3 (01:41:46):
And I would say that they with the injuries at
wide receiver, you know, losing obviously Stefan Diggs and Tank Dale,
getting back Nico Collins, they've been running a lot of
two tight end sets and they did against the Chargers,
and I'm saying they played bully ball, but they were
able to move the football pretty easily versus the Chargers
with those two tight end sets and not force some

(01:42:08):
man coverage on the outside.

Speaker 2 (01:42:09):
Once they got the run game going average almost seven yards.

Speaker 3 (01:42:13):
Per play out of twelve personnel, sixty percent success rate
out of twelve personnel.

Speaker 2 (01:42:19):
That's something to watch too.

Speaker 3 (01:42:21):
And that would you know, for the Texans, who you know,
now you don't have your full complement of weapons at
wide receiver. That would force some teams to play you
either out of forty personnel at times or would allow
you to kind of isolate Nico Collins on some matchups
if you like them. If they don't, then you know,
you can win the numbers advantage inside and they do

(01:42:43):
have some good tight end So that's for the Texans.
I mean, that's two of the things they showed versus
the Chargers that I really like, love the way the
secondary is playing. I think Will Anderson had two sacks
in that game. Daniel Hunter had five pressures in that game.
I think they accounted for eleven pressure just the two
of those guys. That was to me something that gives

(01:43:04):
them hope that maybe they can make things interesting versus
the Chiefs. And the way the secondary is playing. Derek Steeley,
I mean he was targeted ten times in that game
versus Chargers. He only allowed five receptions for thirty yards.
He had two picks, he had a PBu and I
think at thirty passion rating when he was targeted. He's
playing like a shut down corner. You're gonna need that

(01:43:26):
because you're gonna need multiple players to help you neutralize
Kelsey and then you need to be able to trust
your guys to hold up one on one on the outside,
and that's a tall task when Patrick Mahomes.

Speaker 2 (01:43:41):
Starting the quarterback.

Speaker 3 (01:43:41):
So we'll talk more about it and break it down,
but that's something that Texans when they played good quarterbacks
and Patrick Mahomes, they played him too, and they did
not fare so well versus Patrick Mahomes.

Speaker 2 (01:43:51):
We'll see if they got a better game plan this
time around.

Speaker 3 (01:43:53):
Dimiko Ryans has done a good job previously coming up
with good game plans for the Texans and their secondary
versus elite quarterback personnel. But I'll say this about the Texans.
They they still in my opinion, are a head of schedule.
I mean you, CJ. Stroud, Last year, you won a

(01:44:13):
playoff game, one of the playoff games. This year, CD
is trying to make around. So this year isn't the
year that I would, if I'm a Texans fan, feel
disappointed that they can't topple the Chiefs.

Speaker 2 (01:44:25):
Next year would be the year that.

Speaker 3 (01:44:28):
If they if they can't get it done next year,
then yeah, then you start feeling some if you're a
Texans fan, maybe started feeling some disappointment there.

Speaker 2 (01:44:37):
But they're way ahead of schedule.

Speaker 3 (01:44:38):
C J. Stroud, second year quarterback, and the offensive line
should be better. That's something you also you got to
work out over the offseason. But the defense is ahead
of schedule in my opinion too. You got the top
me the top six pass defense last this past season.
Your rush defenses above average. But I believe next year

(01:44:59):
you can you can end up with a top five
pass defense, borderline top you know, five rush defense two potentially,
and then your defense will probably lead the way, and
then CJ. Stroud won't have to have so many save
us CJ moments and you can play a complimentary style

(01:45:19):
of football with your defense leading away in a balance
running attack.

Speaker 2 (01:45:24):
And then you now you know Nico Collins is your guy.

Speaker 3 (01:45:27):
You should have more weapons on the outside to the
product the draft them and Tank Dale. Now multiple seasons
with injuries, you brought the draft some more wide receivers
for CJ.

Speaker 2 (01:45:35):
Stroud.

Speaker 3 (01:45:36):
But like I said, you'll have first world problems to
deal with this offseason. But it ain't starting yet. You
still gotta play the Chiefs, to say, Hurtley and tasks
to take down that monster. We'll talk about that, and
we'll talk about some Texas football coming up on the
other side, and we'll dive into what the Texas roster's
gonna look like for twenty twenty five and all the
departures on the forty acres, for the long points, all

(01:45:56):
that more right here on the broadcast, sorry, right here
on the Greigway Show on a thirteen hundreds. Welcome back
to the Craigway Show here on AM thirteen hundred Zonne.
I'm not talking about when Rod davers. I appreciate Craig
letting me sit in for him while he is on
the road. Let's talk to Texas football. Lately, we have

(01:46:16):
seen a ton of guys who have either announced that
they are declaring early for the NFL Draft. For guys
who are basically putting out messages even though their eligibility
is exhausted, but now messages farewell messages if you will,
saying goodbye and announcing their quarantine NFL Draft even though yeah,

(01:46:39):
they don't really have a choice, so they're gonna be
eligible for the NFL Draft anyway because they've exhausted their eligibility.
But now it's the thing where everybody makes a statement.
So just talking about departures period. That includes guys who
are declaring early and those who are out of eligibility.
Just kind of going through the list here of some
of the ones lately. Cam Williams being the latest. He's

(01:47:00):
declared for the NFL Draft, so he's leaving. You also
have more more blackwell, he's gone because of eligibility. Gunner
Helm too, Isaiah Bond declared early, so Isaiah Bond he
has decided that he is foregoing any eligibility. Quinn Yours
of course, that was announced even before the Bowl game.
Kelvin Banks, He's probably gonna be a top ten pick,

(01:47:23):
and Hayden Connor that was also the case. He might
be out of eligibility. Jayden Blue, he declared early. Jayden
Blue after a fourteen touchdown season. Matthew Golden another player
declaring early for the NFL draft. Gavin Holmes, Andrew mccooba,
Vernon Broughton also among the players that's also declaring for

(01:47:46):
the NFL Draft. So it is a long list of
players that Texas will be losing, and it's growing every day.
There are still some of the guys who haven't necessarily
made the announcement.

Speaker 2 (01:47:59):
Michael Taps still out there.

Speaker 3 (01:48:01):
Trey Moore's another guy that hasn't really been announced what
he's gonna do. So there's still some other guys. I
think that we are waiting on their declarations or announcements.
But for the most part, I mean Texas is expected
was expected to lose a lot of guys, and they're
expected to have double digit guys drafted. Last year was
eleven some say at least eleven will be drafted this year.

(01:48:24):
And among those guys that we just mentioned, you know,
Kelvin Banks, Cam Williams. So you're losing what some people
are saying, it's the best tackle or among the best
tackle duos in college football in Kelvin Bason Camp Williams.
Guy's respect to be Kelvin Banks's the top ten pick.
Cam Williams expected to be a top forty pick in
the NFL draft. Who knows how he tests, it could

(01:48:46):
end up being higher than that. Didn't have a great
end to the season, but he was also dealing with
an injury there. But yeah, now relating to the Texas
roster for twenty twenty five, your offensive line is probably
gonna be hit harder, hit hardest out of all of
the departures of any position because you're gonna lose your
two tackles. You lose your starting center Jake Majors, who

(01:49:07):
started more games either player in Texas football history. You
lose Hayden Connor on that offensive line too. I mean,
you're just losing a lot of talent, a lot of
depth on that offensive line overall. So that's the group
I think, even though you've been stock pilling a ton
of talent. You got Trevor goose Be coming back. He's
gonna be great. Brandon Baker is gonna be another really

(01:49:28):
good player for you. Still a lot of inexperienced, unimproving
commodities on the all line. So I think O line
and then wide receiver, because you're losing Matthew Golden. You're
losing Isaiah Bond. Isaiah Bone was no mension, but Matthew
Golden right now. Dariel Jeremiah. I read this tweet earlier
and I was a little surprised by it, But maybe
I shouldn't be because Matthew Golden has been spectacular in

(01:49:49):
the last couple of games.

Speaker 2 (01:49:51):
Jerry Jeremiah' tweet five hours ago.

Speaker 3 (01:49:53):
Just finished studying Texas wide receiver Matthew Golden. He could
easily be the top receiver in this draft class. He said,
easily be the top receiver in the draft class. And
I will say that there's nothing that there's no question
I needed answered that he didn't answer. Late in the season,
I was worried about man. I don't know if he
could be a true deep threat. Became a deep threat

(01:50:15):
for the LOUCH. I was worried about whether a guy
of his stature could make contested catches. Made contested catches.
I was worried about whether a guy his size can
go up and make catches and high point the football
and go up over a defender and do it.

Speaker 2 (01:50:27):
Did that too.

Speaker 3 (01:50:29):
He was a great red zone target, ran precision routes,
was able to take on the roll as the number
one wide receiver when you needed him or two, great
body control. I played inside, played in the slide, played outside. Yeah,
now the number one wide receiver in his class, that's
a different discussion, but that's what I trust Darren Jeremiah
of He's saying that he's got that type of potential

(01:50:51):
and that's why he's leaving. But also that's what kind
of a hole you're going to have in your wide
receiving corps. Losing Matthew Golden, losing Isaiah Bond, You've lost
a lot there. And we'll see they got a lot
of talent at wide receiver with the class that are
bringing in, and they've got some guys already on campus.
Uh you know, uh living Uh living Stone is another guy.

(01:51:11):
I think people really like. You'll have more dealfreymore you'll
have Ryan Wingo, but I think O line and O line,
D tackle and wide receiver. If you're looking at the
departures overall, I think those are the ones. Ain't know
what I mean tight end. I guess it's in that
conversation too. You don't really know your tight end is

(01:51:33):
gonna be gotta Mary. I don't know Murray ny Black's
status that kind of thing. I know you got Joined Washington,
who they really like as a youngster, but they're unproven.
So those may be the fourth positions that remember sarccess
behind quarterback, tight end, it's the second most position, second
most important position in his offense.

Speaker 2 (01:51:50):
And Connor helm had won.

Speaker 3 (01:51:51):
A statistically one of the greatest seasons we've ever seen
for a tight end at Texas. So just looking at it,
I guess those are the positions that concern me the
most looking at the departures. But you've been stockpiled in
Texas stockpot and talent for a long time, so there
the talent is there. It's just unproven and we know
this group can develop talent. But I thought some of

(01:52:13):
these guys would would would return, like the Gavin Holmes
was a little surprising because I thought Gavin Holmes returned,
had a great year, but thought he could contend to
be a starting corner potentially for Texas this year.

Speaker 2 (01:52:27):
On the other side of Malik Muhammad thought that was
the case. He's leaving.

Speaker 3 (01:52:32):
You know, I thought Cam Williams another guy. I thought
Cam Williams, and I know he's a top forty pick.
They leave, He's got good money out there for him.
But ultimately he had what fifteen penalties I believe this year.
If I'm not gonna say, I think he led college
football in penalties and he'll get developed at the NFL level.

Speaker 2 (01:52:52):
I mean, they know how to do that.

Speaker 3 (01:52:53):
But yeah, he definitely could have matured and developed into
being a top fifteen pick. But yeah, limited experience. They
have a lot of penalties. You know, give up those
two sacks in the Ohio State game. Not saying the
guy doesn't have first round ability, of course he does,
but I think he could have got close to reaching it.
But these days, hey, man, go get paid, Go get

(01:53:16):
paid for the reps. And that's what the guys are doing.
So long ones are losing a lot, but then means
a lot.

Speaker 2 (01:53:21):
It's got to step up.

Speaker 3 (01:53:22):
We'll talk about that tomorrow, actually, because I'll be back tomorrow.

Speaker 2 (01:53:25):
I'll be back for Craig Way and for Camp Park.

Speaker 3 (01:53:27):
Appreciate both of those guys letting me sit in thanks
to Ronald behind the scenes twisting and.

Speaker 2 (01:53:31):
Tweaking the dolls.

Speaker 3 (01:53:32):
Appreciate all you guys for joining us and for listening.
And tomorrow we'll be back, same time, same channel, The
Craigway Show here on AM thirteen.

Speaker 2 (01:53:40):
Hundred to zone. We'll be back tomorrow. Thank you guys.
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